Israel, Hamas signal openness to talks on Gaza war

Mossad chief to attend truce talks; Hamas vows to stop fighting if ceasefire is reached

Israel on Oct 24 said its spy chief will attend Gaza ceasefire talks, and Hamas vowed to stop fighting if a truce is reached, as long-stalled efforts to end the war appeared to gain momentum.

Previous bids to stop the year-long war have failed, though the US has voiced hope that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week could serve as an opening for a deal.

A senior Hamas official told AFP that a delegation from the group's Doha-based leadership discussed ideas and proposals related to a Gaza truce with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Oct 24.

"Hamas has expressed readiness to stop the fighting, but Israel must commit to a ceasefire, withdraw from the Gaza Strip, allow the return of displaced people, agree to a serious prisoner exchange deal and allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza," the official said.

The talks in Cairo were part of Egypt's ongoing efforts to resume ceasefire negotiations, he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he welcomed Egypt's readiness to reach a deal for the release of the hostages still held by militants in Gaza.

After the Cairo meeting, Mr Netanyahu directed the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency to leave for key mediator Qatar on Oct 27 to advance a series of initiatives that are on the agenda, the Prime Minister's office said.

Earlier on Oct 24, the US and Qatar said Gaza ceasefire talks would resume in the Qatari capital.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Qatar's leaders in Doha on Oct 24 on his 11th trip to the region since Hamas' Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

During the trip, which comes less than two weeks before US elections, Mr Blinken said that mediators would explore new options.

He said they were seeking a plan "so that Israel can withdraw, so that Hamas cannot reconstitute, and so that the Palestinian people can rebuild their lives and rebuild their futures".