Doha talks yield no progress on Gaza cease-fire as Israeli delegation leaves
An Israeli tank manouvers near the Israel-Gaza border, in Israel, August 14, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS
Israeli delegation leaves Doha with no progress in Gaza cease-fire talksA view of the massive devastation after the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the eastern part of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza City, Gaza on August 29, 2024.
The Israeli delegation that arrived in the Qatari capital Doha on Wednesday for high-stakes negotiations on the Gaza cease-fire has left without reaching any agreements, Israeli media claimed on Friday.
According to Haaretz daily, an Israeli negotiating team made up of representatives from the intelligence agency Mossad, the security agency Shin Bet, and the military returned to Israel from Qatar.
The daily added that "there have been no breakthroughs in the talks thus far regarding the red lines set forth by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including the issues of inspections at the Netzarim route," the presence of the Israeli army on the Philadelphi route, and the manning of the Rafah crossing.
For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a hostage swap deal and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The onslaught has resulted in over 40,600 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,800 injuries, according to local health authorities.
An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.