Amid Israeli provocations & Hamas' boycott, Gaza ceasefire talks to be held tomorrow

The ’now or ever’ talks for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip are set to be held on Thursday in Qatar — even as one of the parties has boycotted and the other has continued with its provocations.

While Israel has continued with the provocations such as a visit of a top minister to the Temple Mount in violation of rules and custom, Hamas has refused to take part in the talks after saying that there is little interest among Israelis to strike a deal.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has confirmed to AFP that the Israeli delegation will take parts in the talks. The chances of a breakthrough are slim as Israel has made new demands amid provocative behaviour in the run-up to the talks. Moreover, if Hamas is not on the table —in the wake of the announced boycott— a deal is also off the table.

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However, Reuters has reported that even if Hamas boycotts the talks, it is expected to hold consultations with the mediators Qatar and Egypt after talks with Israel are concluded.

Hamas wants ‘serious response’ Israel

Hamas wants “serious response” from Israel in tomorrow’s meeting to continue negotiations, according to Reuters.

The news agency quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying that if Israel presents a “serious response” to the mediators, then Hamas negotiators would meet the mediators on Thursday after their meeting with Israeli officials.

Another official told the agency that the mediators expected to hold talks with Hamas on Thursday.

Hamas has said that the talks are only a ruse from Israel to continue killing Palestinians. The terrorist group accused Israel of adding new conditions to stall the talks and said it is committed to the original proposal without later Israeli demands.

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Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters, “Going to new negotiations allows the occupation to impose new conditions and employ the maze of negotiation to conduct more massacres…Hamas is committed to the proposal presented to it on July 2, which is based on the U.N. Security Council resolution and the Biden speech and the movement is prepared to immediately begin discussion over a mechanism to implement it.”

On part of Israel, external intelligence agency Mossad chief David Barnea, internal intelligence agency Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and military’s hostages chief Nitzan Alon will attend the talks in Doha on Thursday. On part of the United States, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns will attend the meeting.

US pushes for truce as Israeli demands complicate talks

The United States is pushing for a deal for the war in Gaza to not just end the war but to also stabilise the Middle East.

US President Joe Biden has said that it is likely that a ceasefire deal for Gaza could halt Iran from attacking Israel. Separately, Reuters has also reported Iranian officials as saying that an attack may be off the table if a ceasefire takes place in Gaza.

However, Israel’s demands inserted into the proposal being discussed in recent weeks have complicated talks. The original proposal announced by Biden in May seeks an end of the war in three stages starting with a six-week truce.

US special envoy Amos Hochstein said on Wednesday that a ceasefire deal based on “the framework agreement that’s on the table” could help de-escalate regional tensions and “prevent an outbreak of a wider war”, as per AFP.

There are fears that the Iranian attack on Israel, in response to the assassination of Hamas chief in Tehran, could lead to an escalatory spiral that may plunge the Middle East into an all-out war.