Israel will dispatch a delegation to Doha on Monday to resume ceasefire and prisoner swap negotiations with Hamas, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Saturday.
This move follows an invitation from mediators, primarily the US, aiming to advance the stalled three-phase agreement.
The initial phase, which saw prisoner exchanges and limited humanitarian access, has concluded.
A US-led initiative proposed a two-month ceasefire extension in exchange for the release of ten living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
According to Israeli state television, these negotiations occurred without Israel’s direct participation. Israel accepted the US proposal, but Hamas promptly rejected it, escalating tensions.
The original agreement, implemented on January 19th, included the release of over 1,700 Palestinian prisoners and 33 Israeli hostages, alongside humanitarian concessions.
The intended second phase of the agreement, planned to commence on February 3rd, has yet to materialize.
Israel’s delay in proceeding to the second phase, followed by the rejection of the extension proposal by Hamas, has added complications.
Consequently, Israel announced the cessation of humanitarian aid entry into Gaza following the end of the initial ceasefire phase on March 1st.
The delegation’s travel to Doha now signifies a renewed attempt to break the deadlock and de-escalate the situation.