Israeli delegation heads to Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks

An Israeli delegation departed for Qatar on Sunday to engage in talks aimed at advancing a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, according to an Israeli official.

The development comes just ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday.

The move reflects rising domestic pressure on Netanyahu to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. While some right-wing members of his coalition remain opposed to a permanent ceasefire, others, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have expressed support for negotiations.

On Friday, Hamas stated it had responded "in a positive spirit" to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, following President Trump’s claim that Israel had agreed to key conditions for a 60-day truce.

Read more: Hamas signals support for Gaza ceasefire agreement

However, hurdles remain. A Palestinian official aligned with Hamas raised concerns about the delivery of humanitarian aid, access through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, and the lack of a clear timeline for Israeli troop withdrawal.

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said that modifications proposed by Hamas were “unacceptable” to Israel. Still, it confirmed that the delegation would proceed to Qatar to pursue discussions based on the original Qatari-mediated proposal, which Israel had agreed to in principle.

Netanyahu has maintained that any lasting agreement must include the disarmament of Hamas, a condition the Palestinian group continues to reject.