
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem. AP
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the professional-level delegation of the Mossad (spy agency), the IDF (military) and the ISA (internal security agency) to continue the negotiations in Doha," a statement from his office said on Thursday.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have taken place in Doha in recent weeks, rekindling hope for a ceasefire and captive release agreement that has so far proven elusive.
But efforts to strike a deal in numerous rounds of indirect talks have repeatedly failed over key stumbling blocks.
In December, Hamas had said though negotiations were continuing "in a serious manner", Israeli negotiators had put forward "new conditions" which delayed reaching a deal.
In Israel, critics of Netanyahu, including relatives of some of the dozens of captives still held in Gaza, have accused him of stalling.
In November 2023, Israel and Hamas agreed to the only truce to take place during nearly 15 months of Israel's war on Gaza.
The one-week pause saw 80 Israeli captives freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians detained by Israel, with 25 other captives, mostly Thai farm workers, also released.
The Israeli army says that of the 96 captives remaining in Gaza, 34 are dead.
A key point of contention in negotiations since the previous truce has been the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.
Another unresolved issue has been Gaza's post-war governance, which remains highly contentious including within the divided Palestinian leadership.
Israel has repeatedly said it would not allow Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, to govern the besieged territory again.
Netanyahu has also said he would not agree to a complete withdrawal of troops from Gaza.
The Israeli war on Gaza has so far killed at least 45,581 people, the majority of them women and children, according to figures from Gaza's health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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