International efforts continue to try to secure a ceasefire agreement to end more than 10 months of war between Israel and Hamas. Officials from the United States, Egypt and Qatar ended two days of talks in Doha optimistic that a deal could be reached.
Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza have gathered for their weekly protest to demand the government reach a deal to secure their release.
Carrying pictures of the hostages on what is now called Hostages Square in Tel Aviv they called for the Israeli government to finally reach a deal and bring back the more than 100 captives.
“I hear the top security officials telling us that Hamas is dismantled, it’s time for a deal, Hamas want it, also Iran and Hezbollah, in their own silence, want it. If there is no deal there will be a raging war and in this raging war its known how to get in but it’s unknown how to get out,” said Eli Albag, the father of one of the hostages.
Meanwhile, international efforts continue to try to secure a ceasefire agreement to end more than 10 months of war between Israel and Hamas.
Officials from the United States, Egypt and Qatar ended two days of talks in Doha with a message of hope that a deal could be reached.
A joint statement from the mediators said a proposal to bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas was presented and they expected to work out the details of how to implement the possible deal next week in Cairo.
Both sides have shown interest in a phased ceasefire draft proposed by President Joe Biden on May 31.
On Friday, Biden said he was optimistic a deal could be reached, adding “we are closer than we have ever been”.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli negotiators had expressed “cautious optimism”.
However, the two sides remain divided over some of the terms and the details of the agreement and Hamas said on Saturday that no progress had been made and mediators were “selling illusions”.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ incursion into Israel on October 7, in which militants from Gaza stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 250 others.
Israel says Hamas is still holding around 110 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.
The Hamas-run health ministry says the death toll in Gaza has passed 40,000 but it doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
