Egypt announced Wednesday that cease-fire negotiations for the Gaza Strip, held in Doha, Qatar, have concluded.
The talks are being viewed as a hopeful step towards ending the months-long conflict in the region.
According to Cairo News Channel, Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya participated in the talks.
The discussions were described as “serious,” though no specific details were released.
For months, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been working to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
The goal has been to arrange a prisoner exchange and secure humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to meet Hamas’ conditions, causing mediation efforts to stall.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has continued since an attack in early October, despite international calls for a cease-fire.
The conflict has claimed over 41,000 lives, mostly women and children, with tens of thousands more injured.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, with severe shortages of food, water, and medicine.
Israel faces allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
