Israel to continue ceasefire talks with Hamas amid ongoing conflict

Israel will dispatch a team to Qatar next week to continue ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, following an initial meeting between Mossad chief David Barnea and mediators in Doha, the Israeli Prime Minister's office announced Friday evening.

While there are still gaps between the two sides, as stated in a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office, Israeli officials remain optimistic about the potential for a ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has indicated that its proposed amendments to a U.S. ceasefire plan have received positive responses from mediators, though Israel's official position remains unclear. Hamas demands include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an end to the war. Meanwhile, Israel insists it cannot cease the war until Hamas is dismantled.

Recent developments mark a renewed effort to end the nearly nine-month-long conflict, which has claimed over 38,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza, according to local health authorities. In the West Bank, seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli air strikes and gunfire in Jenin on Friday amid escalating violence, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources. The Israeli military described the operation as a "counterterrorism" activity targeting militants.

Jenin and its refugee camp have experienced escalating tensions for over two years, with the intensity increasing since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict erupted in early October 2023.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Friday that 250,000 people have been displaced in southern Gaza due to Israeli evacuation orders. Displaced families face severe shortages of safe drinking water, medical services and shelter. Fuel shortages are critically impacting health and sanitation infrastructure, with the World Health Organization warning of further disruptions to healthcare services.

The Israeli government's ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip have sparked dissatisfaction among the Israeli populace. On July 5, a large demonstration took place on the streets of Tel Aviv, with many mothers of detained Israelis joining the protest. The demonstrators demanded that the Israeli government immediately reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas to secure the release of Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip.

A survey by Israel's Channel 12 revealed on Friday that 67 percent of respondents said the most important priority is returning the hostages from Gaza. In comparison, 26 percent favored continuing the war in Gaza, while 7 percent were unsure.

Tensions between Lebanese and Israeli forces have intensified, with Hezbollah and the Israeli military engaging in frequent exchanges of fire. On Friday, Hezbollah announced it had targeted several Israeli military sites, including the headquarters of the 769th Brigade in Kiryat Shmona and a building in the Shlomi settlement. In response, Israel carried out six air strikes on five towns and villages in southern Lebanon, bombarding 12 border towns and villages with 75 shells, wounding civilians in the villages of Houla and Yohmor.

Lebanese military sources reported the launch of about 20 surface-to-surface missiles from Lebanon, with Israeli Iron Dome missiles intercepting some of them. The Israeli artillery also targeted Blat, a village in the Marjeyoun District, the town of Nabatieh Al-Fawqa and other areas for the first time, escalating the conflict further.

The United Nations has expressed grave concerns over the escalating hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border, known as the Blue Line. It warned that the increase in clashes heightens the risk of a full-scale war.

A statement from the UN secretary-general's office on Friday emphasized the necessity of restraint and warned that the danger of miscalculation leading to a wider conflict is real. It reiterated that a political and diplomatic solution is the only viable way forward.

On the same day, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, met with key Lebanese officials, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, to discuss the urgency of de-escalation. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and renewed commitment to Security Council resolution 1701, aimed at maintaining a fragile truce established after the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

(With input from agencies)