Biden and Netanyahu in talks as pressure grows for Gaza ceasefire deal

The White House says US President Joe Biden has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring about a ceasefire after nearly seven months of war in Gaza.

There were no immediate details of the conversation, which took place as Israel vowed to invade Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah despite global concern for more than one million Palestinians sheltering there.

The US secretary of state Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East today.

A senior official from key intermediary Qatar, meanwhile, urged Israel and Hamas to show “more commitment and more seriousness” in negotiations.

Qatar, which hosts Hamas’ headquarters in Doha, was instrumental along with the US and Egypt in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages. But in a sign of frustration, Qatar this month said that it was reassessing its role.

An Israeli delegation is expected in Egypt in the coming days to discuss the latest proposals in negotiations, and senior Hamas official Basem Naim said in a message to the Associated Press that a delegation from the militant group will also head to Cairo. Egypt’s stateowned al-Qahera TV said the delegation would arrive today.

The comments by Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari in interviews with the liberal daily Haaretz and Israeli public broadcaster Kan were published and aired on Saturday evening.

Mr al-Ansari expressed disappointment with Hamas and Israel, saying each side had made decisions based on political interests and not with civilians’ welfare in mind. He did not reveal details on the talks other than to say they had “effectively stopped”, with “both sides entrenched in their positions”.

His remarks came after an Egyptian delegation discussed with Israeli officials a “new vision” for a prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official.

This official said that Israeli officials were open to discussing establishing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as part of the second phase of a deal. Israel has refused to end the war until it defeats Hamas.

The second phase would start after the release of civilian and sick hostages, and include negotiating the release of soldiers, the official added. Senior Palestinian prisoners would be released and a reconstruction process launched.

Negotiations earlier this month centred on a sixweek ceasefire proposal and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages held by Hamas in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

A letter written by Mr Biden and 17 other world leaders urged Hamas to release the hostages immediately. Hamas in recent days has released new videos of three hostages, an apparent push for Israel to make concessions.

The growing pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach a ceasefire deal is also meant to avert an Israeli attack on Rafah, the city on the border with Egypt where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is seeking shelter.

Israel has massed dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles. The planned incursion has raised global alarm.

GRIEF: Palestinians mourn by the bodies of relatives who were killed in an Israeli bombardment, at the al-Aqsa hospital in Deir Balah in the central Gaza Strip yesterday.