The latest round of negotiations aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip is expected to enter the second day on Friday.
Representatives from Israel and a team of mediators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt resumed talks in the Qatar capital of Doha on Thursday. Members of Hamas did not take part.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that the meeting is “still ongoing” and “will resume” on Friday.
Hamas said in a statement on Thursday that the group is closely watching the ongoing negotiations “from a strategic perspective aimed at ending the aggression on Gaza.”
US news website Axios quoted US officials as saying some progress was made in the first day of talks.
An Egyptian TV station reported that a “high-level source” said the first day of discussions lasted for more than seven hours and saw all parties demonstrating intent to reach an agreement.
The source also reportedly said negotiators would complete discussions on the mechanisms for implementing the agreement on the second day of talks.
Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry’s representative based in Egypt said in a social media post on Friday that to save the Palestinian people Iran may “waive the right” to retaliation against Israel.
Iran has declared it would retaliate against Israel, blaming the country for killing the top Hamas political leader in July while he was visiting Tehran.
Iran apparently intends to pressure ceasefire negotiators to produce an agreement favorable to Hamas.
On the diplomatic front, British and French foreign ministers visited Israel on Friday.