TEL AVIV: Israel said on Thursday that it will send negotiators to Qatar this weekend in an effort to restart stalled talks aimed at securing a Gaza ceasefire deal, as the death toll from its military operation in Gaza surpassed 42,847.
David Barnea, head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, will lead the delegation to Doha, where they will hold discussions with US and Qatari officials.
The renewed talks come at a time when Israel is facing growing international pressure to halt its bombardment campaign in Gaza and Lebanon. The talks will explore options for a truce and a potential deal for the release of hostages.
Speaking in Doha after a meeting with Qatari leaders, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that negotiators would “explore new options” following the failure of earlier ceasefire attempts. “We talked about options to capitalize on this moment and next steps to move the process forward,” Blinken said.
The truce efforts come as casualties mount from the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that over 770 people have been killed in northern Gaza during the 19 days since the operation began. On Thursday, a strike on a school being used as a shelter in central Gaza resulted in 17 deaths, according to Palestinian authorities.
Thousands of civilians remain trapped in northern Gaza, with local authorities warning that many victims are still buried beneath the rubble. The Gaza civil defense agency has said it can no longer provide first responder services in the north, citing Israeli threats to target its personnel.
Israel has also launched a military operation in Lebanon. At least 1,580 people have died in Lebanon since late September, and Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Lebanon.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli group representing the families of those still held by Hamas, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure an agreement for the release of 97 remaining hostages.
