Israel Signals Progress in Gaza Truce Talks, Palestinians See Little Movement

Israeli leaders planned to convene on Saturday to hear of possible progress in mediated negotiations on a new Gaza truce to recover hostages held by Hamas, but Palestinians saw little change in polarised positions almost five months into the war.
Israeli delegates met on Friday in Paris with Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators who helped put together the lone ceasefire so far, in November, under which scores of Hamas’ captives went free in return for a Palestinian prisoner release.
Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said that, in an evening meeting after the Jewish Sabbath, the war cabinet would be briefed by the delegates, who returned on Saturday.
The planned briefing “shows that they feel they did not come back empty-handed,” he told Israel’s Channel 12 TV. “From the tone of what I have been hearing in recent hours, it will be possible to make progress.”