Negotiations on a possible ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages kidnapped by Palestinian extremist organizations will probably start again next week, sources close to the extremist organization Hamas say.
Negotiations are taking place in Cairo. Last month, Qatar, which operated as a broker for the monthly trade, announced that it would freeze its brokerage business for the time being because no progress has been made. However, on Thursday, negotiation sources said that Qatar would have returned as a mediator.
According to a representative of the political wing of Hamas who spoke to the news agency AFP, the extremist organization still demands a precise timetable for how Israel will withdraw its forces from the most important areas of the Gaza Strip. The withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza has been a key stumbling block in previous negotiations.
More than 44,600 people have died during the war in Gaza, which has been going on for two years, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health under Hamas. According to the UN, the figures provided by the ministry are relatively reliable.