Gaza ceasefire talks heat up again amid deadly Israeli attacks

Israel has said it will maintain military control over Gaza just like in the occupied West Bank even if there is a deal.

Israel, Hamas and international stakeholders are engaged in what are seen as the most serious talks in months over a potential ceasefire deal in the besieged Gaza Strip, where dozens of Palestinians continue to be killed by Israeli attacks daily.

Hamas said in an official statement on Tuesday that in light of “positive” talks held in Doha with mediation from Qatar and Egypt, reaching a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement “is possible if the occupation stops imposing new conditions”.

Sources quoted in Israeli media have also been expressing increasing optimism in recent days that the strongest diplomatic push for a ceasefire deal since August could yield results.

“This optimism is cautious because we’ve been here before and the efforts were scuttled at the last minute because of new conditions and different considerations,” said Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh.

“Right now, as we understand, the discussions are down to the details, to the names of who will be released from Gaza and also who is being released from the Palestinian side. The outgoing and incoming United States administrations have a vested interest in the deal, even if it doesn’t lead to the end of the war.”