Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that a delegation will be sent to Qatar to continue ceasefire and hostage negotiations with Hamas, even as he dismissed the group’s proposed changes to a US-backed truce deal as “unacceptable.”
The move follows Hamas’s announcement that it is ready to enter discussions “immediately,” signaling a rare moment of agreement in nearly 21 months of war in Gaza.
In a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader said he had instructed negotiators to attend proximity talks and maintain communication with mediators. But he made clear that any alterations suggested by Hamas would not be accepted by Israel.
“The changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are unacceptable,” the statement read. “Contacts for the return of our hostages — on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to — will be continued.”
Netanyahu is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. Trump, when asked aboard Air Force One about the Hamas response, said, “That’s good… We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza.”
Stalled Progress, Mounting Pressure
The war, which began with Hamas’s October 2023 assault on Israel, has resulted in staggering losses. According to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, Israeli military operations have killed over 57,000 people, most of them civilians. Israel’s military response came after Hamas killed 1,219 people, largely civilians, and took 251 hostages in its initial attack.
Forty-nine hostages are still being held in Gaza, and tragically, the Israeli military believes 27 of them have already died. A proposed ceasefire aims to bring some of them home.
According to Palestinian sources, the deal would involve a 60-day pause in the fighting. In that time, Hamas would release 10 hostages and hand over the bodies of others in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
The group is also pushing for Israeli withdrawal conditions and a guarantee that fighting will not resume during further negotiations.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reportedly spoke with U.S. truce envoy Steve Witkoff about the next steps in arranging indirect meetings between the two sides.
Growing Frustration Among Israelis and Palestinians
Back in Israel, families of hostages are growing restless. At a protest demanding action, Macabit Mayer — aunt of captives Gali and Ziv Berman — urged the government to “make a deal that saves everyone.”
On the other side of the border, people in Gaza are desperate for any pause in the fighting.
“People are happy that Hamas responded positively,” said Karima al-Ras, a resident of Khan Yunis. “We hope a truce will be announced. People are dying for flour, and young people are dying as they try to provide flour for their children.”
Aid Under Scrutiny, Attacks on Workers
With food and medical shortages worsening, aid efforts have become increasingly politicized.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group backed by the United States and Israel, has taken over much of the territory’s food distribution after Israel eased a blockade in late May. But UN agencies and international NGOs have refused to work with the GHF, citing concerns that it serves Israeli military interests.
The foundation said two of its American staff members were injured in what it described as a “targeted terrorist attack” at a distribution center in Khan Yunis on Saturday. The Israeli military said it helped evacuate the injured but provided no details about the incident.
The UN human rights office, meanwhile, said more than 500 people have been killed while waiting for food near aid points operated by the GHF.
Continuing Strikes and Rising Civilian Deaths
Despite the diplomatic gestures, Israeli military operations continued over the weekend. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 42 deaths across the region on Saturday.
Verifying anything right now is a huge challenge. With media restrictions and the danger on the ground, most reports can’t be independently confirmed. Israel’s military says it can’t comment without precise locations.
The numbers are heartbreaking—and hard to ignore. With peace talks now headed to Qatar, people are asking the same old question: is this for real, or just another break in the cycle?
