Indirect Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks resume in Qatar
Iran Press TV
Tuesday, 08 July 2025 2:44 PM
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas over a ceasefire deal in Gaza have resumed in the Qatari capital, Doha, for a third day, as the occupying regime continues its genocidal war in the besieged Palestinian territory.
"Indirect negotiations are continuing this morning in Doha, with a fourth meeting being held... the discussions are still focused on the mechanisms for implementation, particularly the clauses related to withdrawal and humanitarian aid," a Palestinian source familiar with the discussions told AFP on Tuesday.
"No breakthrough has been achieved so far, and the negotiations are ongoing," said another Palestinian official.
Earlier in the day, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said negotiations for a truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas will need more time, noting that the indirect talks between the two sides are focused on a "framework" for a deal.
"I don't think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this," Ansari said at a news conference in Doha.
"What is happening right now is that both delegations are in Doha. We are speaking with them separately on a framework for the talks. So talks have not begun, as of yet, but we are talking to both sides over that framework," he added.
The latest development came a day after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about reaching a deal.
"I don't think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well," the US president told reporters at the White House on Monday, as he met visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hamas is willing to end the conflict in Gaza and have a ceasefire, he added, pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a deal to end the war.
Israel and Hamas began their latest round of negotiations in Qatar on Sunday.
The talks coincided with preparations for Netanyahu's third White House visit since Trump's return to office nearly six months ago.
Netanyahu, before departing for Washington, emphasized that Israeli negotiators were given clear instructions to secure a ceasefire under terms acceptable to Israel.
A prior ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, effective from January 19, was breached when Israel resumed its military aggression on March 18, killing at least 400 people in overnight attacks.
Backed by the United States, Israel withdrew from negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which aimed to end the war and secure the release of remaining Israeli captives in Gaza.
Israel 'utterly failed to break Gaza's will': Hamas
Separately on Tuesday, Hamas said the Israeli military has "utterly failed to break Gaza's will or subdue its resistance."
Hamas made the remarks in a statement after five Israeli forces were killed and 14 others wounded, during a resistance operation targeting an Israeli infantry unit in the northern part of the Gaza Strip earlier in the day.
"The slogans of 'crushing defeat' and 'complete eradication' of Hamas have fallen at the doorstep of explosive tunnels and complex resistance ambushes. The illusion of 'liberating prisoners by force' has been shattered by successive blows," it said.
The Palestinian resistance group went on to say that Israel's "relentless attempts" to displace Palestinians and ethnically cleanse the land have been met with "the legendary steadfastness of our people".
"This complex failure - militarily, politically, and morally - exposes the falsity of the Zionist propaganda machine and proves once again that our battle has never been merely a battle of missiles and weapons, but rather a battle of awareness, will, and patience," Hamas said.
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