Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for negotiations with Hamas but said that the Palestinian terrorist group is seeking “unacceptable” changes to a Gaza Strip ceasefire proposal backed by President Trump.
The Israeli delegation will travel to Qatar the same day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu departs for Washington, where he’s scheduled to meet with Mr. Trump at the White House on Monday.
That high-stakes meeting comes amid the Trump administration’s latest push to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and end nearly two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Iran-backed terrorist outfit that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Hamas delivered what was described as a “positive” response to the U.S.-backed ceasefire plan late last week. But Mr. Netanyahu’s office says the group is now seeking significant changes to that proposal.
“The changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement late Saturday.
“In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages — on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to — be continued,” the statement reads.
Mr. Trump helped secure a ceasefire between Israel and Iran last month and now wants to do the same in Gaza.
The latest proposal, delivered to Hamas through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, would pause hostilities for 60 days. During that time, Hamas would release at least half of the remaining Israeli hostages it is holding, in five separate waves of releases.
Mr. Trump expressed optimism last Friday about the prospects for a deal.
“We have to do something about Gaza. … We’re sending a lot of money and a lot of aid. I think it’s been very positive. It’s a good response,” Mr. Trump said, adding that he is “very optimistic” that a deal could be struck in the coming days.
In a statement, Hamas said it responded to the proposal in a “positive spirit.”
But the group has proposed numerous changes. Citing several officials familiar with the ceasefire negotiations, the Times of Israel reported Sunday that Hamas wants assurance that talks aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire would continue even after the initial 60-day truce. And Hamas wants major changes to the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Hamas also wants the Israeli Defense Forces to withdraw to the positions it held prior to March, when a previous ceasefire collapsed.
Mr. Netanyahu’s office did not specify which of those demands are unacceptable.
