An Israeli delegation will visit Qatar on Sunday, according to a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Whether Hamas has consented to take part in the negotiations is still unclear.
Although Hamas has charged Israel with being the main obstacle to any accord, the US thinks the passing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week, who was regarded as one of the organization’s most radical leaders, may pave the way for a solution.
There is a genuine chance to return [the captives] home and achieve the goal now that Sinwar is over, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters.
Reaching an agreement “so that Israel can withdraw, so that Hamas cannot reconstitute, and so that the Palestinian people can rebuild their lives and rebuild their futures” was the goal, according to Mr. Blinken.
A Hamas delegation was meeting with Egyptian intelligence officials Thursday night to examine the current state of affairs in Gaza and how to overcome barriers to prevent the escalation, a senior Palestinian official told the news.
High-ranking Egyptian security officials will meet with a Hamas team in Cairo, an Egyptian official told the news.
