Peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas are set to resume in Qatar, with Israeli officials confirming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s delegation will arrive Sunday, though Hamas’s participation remains uncertain following the death of its leader Yahya Sinwar.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his eleventh regional visit since the war began, suggested Sinwar’s death could provide a breakthrough. “With Sinwar gone, there is a real opportunity to bring [the hostages] home and to accomplish the objective,” Blinken told journalists, defining success as an agreement allowing Israeli withdrawal while preventing Hamas’s reconstitution and enabling Palestinian reconstruction.
Qatar’s foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani revealed Qatari mediators have “re-engaged” with Hamas since Sinwar’s death, meeting with the group’s political office representatives in Doha. However, he acknowledged “no clarity” exists regarding Hamas’s current negotiating stance. Egyptian officials separately confirmed meeting with a Hamas delegation in Cairo Thursday.
The discussions build on President Joe Biden’s May proposal, which Hamas previously received “positively.” The plan outlines a path beginning with a six-week ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from populated Gaza areas, followed by humanitarian aid expansion and hostage-prisoner exchanges, ultimately leading to a permanent cessation of hostilities and comprehensive reconstruction efforts.
Netanyahu, welcoming Egypt’s efforts to advance hostage releases, faces domestic pressure over his insistence on maintaining Israeli troops along the Gaza-Egypt border’s Philadelphi corridor, which has emerged as a crucial sticking point in negotiations.
During his visit, Blinken announced an additional $135 million in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, bringing total U.S. aid since the war’s start to $1.2 billion. The funding targets critical needs including water, sanitation, and maternal health amid the ongoing crisis.
The diplomatic initiative continues as the conflict’s humanitarian toll mounts more than a year after its outbreak, with both sides seeking lasting security guarantees in any potential agreement.
