The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has recently approved the formation of a new negotiating team to discuss a possible ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This move comes after reviewing Hamas’ response to the latest proposal put forth by US President Joe Biden.
The negotiations are expected to begin soon but their location remains unclear as previous discussions took place in Egypt and Qatar. Over recent weeks, talks between Israel and Hamas have not made progress, with both sides accusing each other of failure.
Hamas wants Israel to stop its attacks and withdraw troops from Gaza, which has faced a severe humanitarian crisis following bombings. Meanwhile, Israel is pushing for a temporary ceasefire to enable the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel while also seeking the total defeat of the Islamist group.
Netanyahu’s decision to form a new negotiating team is critical as it marks an effort towards resolving the conflict in the region. The negotiations are expected to be challenging given the deep-rooted differences between the two sides but they hold significant potential for bringing an end to years of violence and instability in the region.