BBC – Hamas has said that any resumption of ceasefire talks about the conflict in Gaza should be based on previous plans rather than holding new rounds of negotiations.
Last week, international mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the US urged Israel and Hamas to attend negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage release deal on 15 August.
Israel responded on Thursday, saying it would send a team of negotiators to take part in the meeting.
Negotiations faltered last month, after new terms were introduced to the framework presented by US President Joe Biden in May.
In a joint statement last week, mediators said talks could take place on 15 August in Doha or Cairo.
It called on Israel and Hamas “to close all remaining gaps and commence implementation of the deal without further delay”.
It said a “framework agreement” based on “principles” previously outlined by Mr Biden on 31 May was ready – which proposed a deal that would start with a full ceasefire and the release of a number of hostages.
In a statement, Hamas responded to pressure from mediators by calling for a plan to be drawn up based on Mr Biden’s “vision” from May – essentially agreeing to resume negotiations from the point where they stopped rather than on any new initiative.
“The mediators should enforce this on the occupation (Israel) instead of pursuing further rounds of negotiations or new proposals that would provide cover for the occupation’s aggression and grant it more time to continue its genocide against our people,” the Hamas statement said.
Sources told the BBC that the introduction of new Israeli conditions – that displaced Palestinians should be screened as they return to the north of Gaza, as well as the question of control of the Philadelphi corridor that borders Egypt – had been sticking points.
The BBC understands that Hamas is open to resuming talks at the point prior to which the new conditions were introduced.
Recent fighting in Gaza and the killings of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh and a senior Hezbollah commander have risked escalating tensions across the region.
