Kerry in talks with Qatar, Turkey to renew truce

US Secretary of State John Kerry is in contact with Qatar and Turkey to renew the truce between Israel and Hamas, a spokeswoman for the state department says.

Israel has rejected Turkey and Qatar as facilitators of a ceasefire agreement, saying they are not impartial and have the interests of Hamas in mind.

“Today, the secretary has spoken with the Israeli prime minister, the Israeli foreign minister, the Turkish foreign minister, and the Qatari foreign minister,” Marie Harf tells reporters. “We need countries that have leverage over leaders of Hamas who can help put a ceasefire in place.”

“We hope that the parties can reach an agreement,” she says. “Ideally on a sustainable ceasefire, but if not, then agree to an extension [of the truce].”

Harf shies away from agreeing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements equating Hamas with the Islamic State. “I’m not going to compare them in that way,” she says. “Let’s be clear…they’re both foreign terrorist organizations designated under United States law. But I’m not going to do any more comparison of them.”