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DOHA: The first round of indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Doha has ended without an agreement, according to Palestinian sources who spoke to a British news agency.
The sources said the Israeli delegation that arrived for the talks did not have the mandate to finalize a deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday night that Hamas’s latest demands were “unacceptable” for Israel, but nonetheless confirmed he was sending a high-level negotiating team to Qatar.
In recent days, Hamas had given mediators from Qatar and the United States a positive initial response to a new proposed deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner swap.
Separately, former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Israel had agreed to the terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump said: “We have a good chance of getting a deal with Hamas this week.
Some hostages could be released. I’ll also talk to Netanyahu about working toward a permanent deal with Iran.”
