The Palestinian Hamas group said on Wednesday that its negotiators reiterated its readiness to implement an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel in Gaza based on a previous U.S. proposal without new conditions from any party.
The Palestinian group said in a statement that their negotiation team, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, met mediators on Wednesday including Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Doha to discuss the latest developments in Gaza.
Read more: Hamas says Netanyahu trying to ‘thwart’ Gaza truce
Talks have so far failed to reach a deal to end the 11-month-old war. Lingering issue include control of the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow stretch of land on Gaza’s border with Egypt, persisting.
CIA Director William Burns, who is also the chief U.S. negotiator on Gaza, said on Saturday that a more detailed ceasefire proposal would be made in the next several days.
The previous proposal put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden in June laid out a three-phase ceasefire in return for the release of Israeli hostages.
Read more: US charges Hamas leaders over October 7 attack
Israel’s brutal air and ground offensive has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians and wounded over 95,000 others, the Gaza health ministry says, mostly women and children. About 10,000 others are missing and presumed dead.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7, which left about 1,200 people dead. Hamas says it was in response to Israel’s siege of Gaza and occupation of Palestinian territories.