Hamas claims Gaza truce talks with mediators stepping up

A senior Hamas official says that talks between the terror group and mediators over a ceasefire and hostage release deal are gaining momentum, even as Israel continues intensive operations in Gaza.

“We hope that the coming days will bring a real breakthrough in the war situation, following intensified communications with and between mediators in recent days,” Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, says in a statement.

Palestinian sources close to Hamas had told AFP that talks began Thursday evening between the terror group and mediators from Egypt and Qatar to revive a ceasefire and hostage release deal for Gaza.

The talks aim to “achieve a ceasefire, open border crossings, (and) allow humanitarian aid in,” Naim says.

Most importantly, he says, the proposal aims to bring about a resumption in “negotiations on the second phase, which must lead to a complete end to the war and the withdrawal of occupation forces.”