Gaza ceasefire talks resume, Hamas says

GAZA CITY

A Hamas official has announced that international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian group and Israel over a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, adding that he is hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach.

Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas.

But Bassem Naim from Hamas’ political bureau said that there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Qatar also announced the Gulf emirate resumed its role as a mediator in efforts to secure a truce.

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Israeli President Isaac Herzog discusseed the hostage deal with Elon Musk at request of hostages’ families.

A recent Egyptian hostage deal proposal offered an extended ceasefire during which hostages in the “humanitarian” category would be released, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.

The official noted that the proposal is not for an end to the war, but an extended ceasefire that will allow the elderly, children, women, ill and badly wounded hostages to be released. The number of living hostages in these groups is understood to be fewer than the 33 that was previously discussed in talks over past months.

However, despite intensified efforts, the director of north Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital and the territory’s civil defense agency said Israel conducted several strikes on Dec. 6 that hit the facility, one of the last functioning health centers in the area.