Israel might be sending a delegation to Doha to debate a ceasefire deal for Gaza, because the US secretary of state was greeted by Qatar’s Emir right now.
Israel’s delegation might be arriving in Doha on Sunday, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated.
It would be part of Qatari officers – who’ve been key mediators for Hamas, the militant group ruling Gaza – in addition to US diplomats as they search to restart negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage launch deal.
Mr Blinken was pictured right now being greeted by Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, as he arrived in Qatar’s capital.
It’s the eleventh time the US secretary has visited the Center East because the battle in Gaza broke out a yr in the past, following Hamas’s assault on 7 October 2023, which noticed 1,200 individuals killed in southern Israel and round 250 taken hostage.
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The bloodbath, which marked the bloodiest day in Israeli historical past, triggered Israel’s army marketing campaign within the besieged enclave of Gaza, the place native well being authorities declare greater than 42,000 individuals have been killed up to now yr.
Right this moment alone, seven kids had been amongst at the very least 17 killed in an Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in central Gaza, Palestinian officers and a hospital have stated.
That whereas the Israeli army stated 4 troopers had been killed and 6 had been wounded throughout fight in southern Lebanon, the place the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah has been clashing with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
Mossad head David Barnea is a part of the Israeli delegation travelling to Doha for the talks.
He might be assembly with CIA director William Burns and the Qatari prime minister, Mr Netanyahu’s workplace stated right now.
“The events will talk about the varied choices for beginning negotiations for the discharge of the hostages from Hamascaptivity, in opposition to the backdrop of the newest developments,” it stated.
Learn extra: Evaluation: What is going to Sinwar’s dying imply for Gaza battle?’That is our land, we deserve it’
Months of ceasefire negotiations brokered by america, Egypt and Qatar sputtered to a halt over the summer season.
Mr Blinken, talking after talks with Qatar’s prime minister, stated it had not but been decided whether or not Hamas was ready to have interaction in new negotiations, however urged the group to take action.
His journey is the primary to the area since Israel killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, a mastermind of the group’s 7 October assault.
Washington has referred to as for his dying for use as a possibility to try to restore peace.