Qatar, Egypt, and the United States on Thursday issued a joint call for Israel and Hamas to return to negotiations amid growing concerns of a potential all-out war in the Middle East.
In a joint statement reported by Al Jazeera, the three countries urged both parties “to resume urgent discussions” on August 15 in Doha or Cairo “to close all remaining gaps and commence implementation of the deal without further delay.”
The statement stressed the need for a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and prisoners.
In response to the call, Israel announced that it would send a delegation to participate in the talks, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Hamas, however, has not yet responded to the appeal.
This joint statement follows months of unsuccessful attempts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel’s military operations have resulted in at least 39,699 Palestinian deaths and injured 91,722 others since early October.
Efforts for a ceasefire faced further setbacks following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas’ political wing, in Tehran, Iran’s capital.
The killing, widely attributed to Israel, has raised questions about the credibility of Israel’s efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.
The assassination has also drawn criticism from Israel’s long-standing ally, the United States. President Joe Biden said that the killing of Haniyeh has “not helped” in the ongoing negotiations.