ALBAWABA - Israel's war cabinet approved sending negotiators to Qatar on Saturday to resume discussions aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing brutal Israeli war in Gaza, with the aim to achieve a hostage-swap deal.
The negotiations began in Paris, with the head of Israel's overseas intelligence service Mossad, and his equivalent at the domestic Shin Bet security service meeting with mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar.
In a televised interview, National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said that the Israeli "delegation has returned from Paris -- there is probably room to move towards an agreement".
According to Israeli media, the meeting ended with the war cabinet agreeing to send a delegation to Qatar in the coming days to resume negotiations on a weeks-long ceasefire involving the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian inmates detained in Israel.
Pressure has slowly built on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to strike an agreement to rescue the captives, with thousands gathered in Tel Aviv Saturday at what has become known as "Hostages Square" to demand immediate action.
According to media sources, Palestinian representatives, who are taking part in the Paris talks, saw the proposed ceasefire deal and rejected it. Parts of the proposal also contradict what Washington has envisioned for the region: a two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state.
Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel
Hamas military group announced on Oct. 7 a military operation called "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel which is the biggest offensive in decades.
Palestinian fighters “infiltrated” Israel from the Gaza Strip and captured military bases and took hostages as photos and videos went viral online showing Hamas fighters on vehicles inside Israel and others paragliding into occupation territory.
In response, Israeli armed forces announced targeting Hamas positions inside the Gaza Strip. Thousands were killed, and dozens of thousands of others were injured in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The latest statistics by the Ministry of Health in Gaza revealed that the death toll from Israeli brutal pounding on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has soared to 29,410 people, with more than 29,410 injuries.
Since then, approximately 85% of Gazans have been displaced, all of whom are suffering from severe food insecurity, and the healthcare system has collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of people lack shelter, and aid trucks are entering the area at a lower rate than before the conflict began.
