Israel and Hamas have revived indirect negotiations on a ceasefire for hostages in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Friday night.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that a delegation led by David Barnea, head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, met with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
In its statement, Netanyahu’s office did not provide details about who attended what it described as an “initial meeting” in Doha. But it said it was “decided that a team will be sent next week to continue negotiations.”
The statement warned that “differences still exist between the parties”.
The talks, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, have been stalled for weeks. Hamas is demanding that Israel end the war in Gaza in exchange for the approximately 120 Israeli hostages still held by militants.
But the Palestinian Islamist group recently showed some flexibility, sending Israel a new proposal earlier this week.
On the table is a roadmap presented by the mediating states and largely approved by Israel. It initially provides for a temporary ceasefire and the exchange of female, elderly and sick hostages for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
During the temporary ceasefire, the parties negotiate an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages.
During the October 7 attack on southern Israel, terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostages in the Gaza Strip. Israel believes there are still around 120 hostages, but many of them are probably dead.
The unprecedented massacre marked the beginning of the war in Gaza, with Israeli leaders saying they still want to eradicate Hamas.
According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, some 38,000 Palestinians have been killed so far. This figure includes both fighters and civilians.