DOHA — Ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain stalled over a critical sticking point: Israel’s refusal to permit the safe and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, according to Palestinian sources familiar with the discussions, reported by Dawn News.
The talks, hosted in Qatar and mediated by international diplomats, resumed earlier today with indirect meetings between the two sides. A second round of talks is expected to take place later in the evening, the sources told Reuters.
Despite mounting international pressure to reach a truce and ease Gaza’s deepening humanitarian crisis, Palestinian officials say progress has been hindered by what they describe as Israel’s unwillingness to guarantee secure aid corridors into the besieged enclave. With much of Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins and basic supplies dwindling, aid groups have warned that time is running out to prevent a full-scale catastrophe.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that while certain technical issues have seen tentative agreement, the aid dispute remains the central roadblock.
Israel has not publicly commented on the latest round of negotiations. However, in recent weeks, Israeli officials have insisted that any ceasefire must include guarantees on the release of hostages and the dismantling of Hamas’s military capabilities — conditions Hamas has so far resisted.
With talks hanging in the balance, diplomats say the next 48 hours may prove decisive in determining whether a fragile path to peace can emerge — or whether the war continues to grind on.
