Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Qatari mediators had “reconnected” with Hamas following Sinwar’s death, but there was “no clarity” on Hamas’ current plans regarding ceasefire talks.
“There have been meetings with representatives of the Doha Politburo. We have had several meetings with them in the last few days,” he said, adding that Egypt was also holding “ongoing” discussions with Hamas.
A Hamas delegation met with Egyptian intelligence officials in Cairo on Thursday evening to discuss the situation in Gaza, a senior Palestinian official and an Egyptian official told the BBC.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post on X that he welcomes Egypt’s readiness to advance negotiations for the release of the hostages.
Previous discussions on the long-awaited deal centered around a proposal from U.S. President Joe Biden in May, which Hamas accepted “positively.”
The proposal outlined a three-phase plan that would begin with a six-week cease-fire that would see the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdraw from populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
There will also be a “surge” in humanitarian aid, and some hostages will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.
This will eventually lead to a permanent “cessation of hostilities” and a major reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip.
But the talks faltered when Netanyahu’s insistence that Israeli troops be stationed along the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphia Corridor, became a major stumbling block.
Blinken is on his 11th visit to the Middle East since the current war between Israel and Hamas began more than a year ago and is scheduled to end his trip on Friday.
During his visit, he announced $135 million in additional support “in the areas of humanitarian assistance, water, sanitation and maternal health for Gaza, the West Bank and the Palestinians in the region.” The war started cost about $1.2 billion.
Additional reporting by Rushdi Abualouf
