Hamas official says group holding direct talks with US in Qatar

A senior Hamas official has told the BBC that the coming hours are critical to reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Direct negotiations are currently taking place in Doha, Qatar, between representatives of the group and a US administration official, he said.

According to the official, talks have been ongoing for several days and are focused on securing a truce and facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid.

A senior Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations confirmed that two meetings between Hamas and a US official took place on Saturday and Sunday.

Discussions reportedly covered the issue of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, as well as possible mechanisms for a ceasefire and humanitarian access.

Israel is yet to comment on the latest developments.

Hamas has in the past said it will only agree to a deal that includes the end of the war, something that has been repeatedly rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Donald Trump arrives in the Middle East on Tuesday, and Israel has vowed to expand its military offensive against Hamas if no deal is reached by the end of his visit.

The talks between Hamas and the US are taking place amid multiple reports suggesting growing frustration in the Trump administration with Netanyahu’s position. The prime minister is also under pressure at home, with many accusing him of prolonging the war for political purposes.

Israeli officials have said the plans for their expanded offensive include seizing all of the territory indefinitely, forcibly displacing Palestinians to the south, and taking over aid distribution with private companies despite protests from the UN and its humanitarian partners.

Israel has already blocked the entry of all food, medication and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza for 70 days and renewed its aerial bombardment and other military operations there in mid-March, which have since killed 2,720 Palestinians according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Since the beginning of the year, according to the UN, about 10,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children have been identified. Food prices have rocketed by as much as 1,400%.

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which saw about 1,200 people killed and more than 250 taken hostage. Some 59 are still held captive, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Israel’s military campaign has killed 52,829 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.