International mediators held talks in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday (15/8) to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza to prevent a wider war in the Middle East.
Negotiators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar are scheduled to meet with a delegation from Israel. Hamas said Wednesday it would not take part in the talks. But its representatives may meet with mediators later, the news agency said. Reuters to proclaim.
The stakes are high.
In addition to ongoing fighting in Gaza and the West Bank, Israel and Hezbollah are also trading fire on the border with Lebanon. More than 100 hostages are still being held.
Commercial shipping by sea is regularly attacked by Yemen-based Houthi fighters, and Iran has also threatened to retaliate for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the killing, Israel is widely blamed for Haniyeh's death.
According to reports Reuters, Three senior Iranian officials said a ceasefire deal in Gaza would be the only way to prevent retaliation for the killing.
The plan discussed in Doha began as a three-phase “roadmap” to a ceasefire announced by US President Joe Biden on May 31. The proposal called for a six-week ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, and the release of female hostages, the elderly and the wounded in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian aid would be increased and Palestinians would be able to return to their homes.
The six-phase ceasefire would lead to the second phase, which would involve the release of all hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The ceasefire would be permanent.
The reconstruction of the Gaza region itself will take place in the third phase.
The fighting continued as negotiations were underway.
On Thursday, the Health Ministry in the West Bank said Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in an airstrike on a refugee camp. Seven people were wounded. The Israeli military said two armed militants who threatened security forces in the area were killed.
Palestinian health officials say nearly 40,000 people have been killed in attacks by Israel in retaliation for the 1,200 killed and 250 arrested by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Palestinian officials say the war's victims were mostly women and children, while Israel says the majority were combatants. (ft/rs)
Material from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse were used in this report.
