CAIRO: Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have resumed in Doha between "experts from Egypt, Qatar, the United States and Israel", as well as Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media reported on Sunday.
An Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea was in Paris on Friday discussing possibilities of a deal to ensure a fresh ceasefire and the release of captives held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israel's war cabinet agreed on Saturday to send a delegation to Qatar to continue the talks, according to Israeli media reports.
The talks are a "continuation of what was discussed in Paris" and "will be followed by meetings in Cairo," reported Al Qahera News, which is linked to Egyptian state intelligence services.
As with a previous week-long truce in November that saw more than 100 captives and 240 Palestinian prisoners freed, Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been spearheading efforts to secure a new deal.
International pressure for a ceasefire has mounted in recent weeks, as the death toll from Israel's military offensive on the Palestinian territory nears 30,000, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Israel has vowed to destroy the Palestinian groups in response to its unprecedented October 7 attack in Israel.
In negotiations, Palestinians have demanded a ceasefire and Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed as "delusional" as he vows to press further into the territory.
Fears have surged over Israeli plans for a ground invasion of Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city where 1.4 million Palestinians have been pushed into sprawling tent cities right against the Egyptian border.
US, Arab and other mediators have voiced hope a deal can be reached before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.
A reporter said there had been a number of air strikes in Rafah, a city along the territory's southern border with Egypt where hundreds of thousands of Gazans have fled to escape fighting elsewhere.
The presence of so many civilians packed into the area has sparked concerns over Israeli plans for troops to finally push into the city, the last major urban centre they have yet to enter.
Despite the concerns, including from key ally the United States, Netanyahu signalled that the expected push had not been abandoned, adding that "at the beginning of the week, I will convene the cabinet to approve the operational plans for action in Rafah, including the evacuation of the civilian population from there". — AFP
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