Hamas says ready to implement ceasefire without new conditions
PHOTO CAPTION: Palestinian fighters from Hamas take part in a military parade to mark the anniversary of the 2014 war with Israel, in Gaza Strip, 19 July 2023 (Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
CAIRO (Reuters) - The Palestinian Hamas group said on Wednesday that its negotiators reiterated its readiness to implement an "immediate" ceasefire with Israel in Gaza based on a previous U.S. proposal without new conditions from any party.
The Palestinian group said in a statement that their negotiation team, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, met mediators on Wednesday including Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Doha to discuss the latest developments in Gaza.
Talks have so far failed to reach a deal to end the 11-month-old war. Lingering issue include control of the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow stretch of land on Gaza's border with Egypt, persisting.
CIA Director William Burns, who is also the chief U.S. negotiator on Gaza, said on Saturday that a more detailed ceasefire proposal would be made in the next several days.
The previous proposal put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden in June laid out a three-phase ceasefire in return for the release of Israeli hostages.
The recent war in Gaza started after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7 killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's offensive has thus far killed at least 41,084 Palestinians and wounded 95,029 others, the Gaza health ministry says.
(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Hatem Maher; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
