US, Qatar announce new Gaza talks as Blinken eyes new options

Doha (AFP): The United States and Qatar have announced a resumption of negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says mediators are exploring new options after months of failing to seal a US-led plan.

Blinken said negotiators would resume talks “in the coming days” on ways to end the year-long Gaza conflict and free hostages seized in the October 7 attack.

“We talked about options to capitalise on this moment and next steps to move the process forward,” Blinken said, after talks with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani.

He said that the two partners were seeking a plan “so that Israel can withdraw, so that Hamas cannot reconstitute and so that the Palestinian people can rebuild their lives and rebuild their futures”.

“This is a moment to work to end this war, to make sure all the hostages are home, and to build a better future for people in Gaza,” he said.

The Qatari prime minister said Israeli and US delegations would meet in Doha on the ceasefire. Blinken declined to give further details on the talks.

Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister’s office said that Mossad chief David Barnea will head to Doha for talks aimed at restarting negotiations towards a Gaza hostage release deal.

“At the direction of Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, will leave on Sunday for a meeting in Doha with the head of the CIA, Bill Burns, and with the prime minister of Qatar,” said the statement, adding that “the parties will discuss the various options to restart the negotiations to release hostages from Hamas captivity following the latest developments.”