CAIRO – The Palestinian Hamas group said on Sept 11 that its negotiators reiterated its readiness to implement an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel in Gaza based on a previous US proposal without new conditions from any party.

The Palestinian group said in a statement that their negotiation team – led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya – met mediators on Sept 11, including Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Doha to discuss the latest developments in Gaza.

Talks have so far failed to reach a deal to end the 11-month-old war. A lingering issue regarding control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow stretch of land on Gaza’s border with Egypt, persists.

Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns, who is also the chief US negotiator on Gaza, said on Sept 7 that a more detailed ceasefire proposal would be made in the next several days.

The previous proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden in June laid out a three-phase ceasefire in return for the release of Israeli hostages.

The recent war in Gaza started after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct 7, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s offensive has thus far killed at least 41,084 Palestinians and wounded 95,029 others, the Gaza Health Ministry says. REUTERS