Israel and Hamas held another round of talks in Qatar on Tuesday and are on the verge of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, according to a diplomat and a Palestinian in contact with Hamas leaders.
The new talks show progress is being made in talks brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States after months of failed attempts to achieve a breakthrough.
A deal between Hamas and Israel would bring some respite to the Palestinians in Gaza, who endure miserable conditions in displacement camps and are subjected to relentless Israeli bombing, as well as to the hostages kidnapped by Israel. It brings some respite to families who have been worrying for more than a year about the fate of their loved ones.
The diplomat said the talks would focus on resolving outstanding issues, while the Palestinians said they would focus on details of how to implement the deal.
Both the diplomat and the Palestinian spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.
Hopes for past rounds of talks were dashed within days, with both Israel and Hamas blaming the other for the impasse.
The diplomat said the impending agreement was largely inspired by previous proposals discussed in May and July.
