A new round of Gaza ceasefire talks started in Qatar’s capital Doha yesterday – as the death toll in the Palestinian enclave moved past 40,000.
Israel’s spy chief, the head of the CIA and his Egyptian counterpart plus Qatar’s prime minister were involved in the talks. Hamas did not join the behind-closed-door discussions directly, but mediators Egypt and Qatar planned to consult with them afterwards.
After 10 months of war and multiple stalled attempts to end the bloodshed and release more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages still being held in Gaza, the latest talks have been given an added gravity by fears of a revenge attack by Iran on Israel.
Iran has threatened a response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month. Some Iranian officials have suggested that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold them back from direct retaliation.
This story is from the August 16, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the August 16, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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