Gaza cease-fire talks begin in Doha

CAIRO — A senior Hamas official said a fresh round of Gaza cease-fire talks began on Tuesday in the Qatari capital Doha, with the group approaching the negotiations "positively and responsibly".

"A new round of cease-fire negotiations began today," Abdul Rahman Shadid said in a statement.

"Our movement is dealing with these negotiations positively and responsibly."

Israel has also sent a team of negotiators for talks aimed at extending the fragile truce in Gaza, but has so far not commented on the talks.

"We hope that the current round of negotiations leads to tangible progress toward beginning the second phase," Shadid said.

He also expressed hope that United States Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would help "initiate negotiations for the second phase of the cease-fire agreement".

"The US administration bears responsibility due to its unwavering support for the occupying (Israeli) government."

The first 42-day phase of the cease-fire deal expired earlier this month without agreement on subsequent stages meant to secure a lasting end to the conflict.

There are differing views on how to proceed, with Hamas seeking immediate negotiations for the next phase, while Israel wants to extend the first phase.

Hamas has accused Israel of reneging on the deal, saying in a statement on Monday that Israel "refuses to commence the second phase, exposing its intentions of evasion and stalling".

Ahead of the current round of talks, Israel halted the supply of electricity to Gaza's only desalination plant, a move Hamas condemned as "cheap and unacceptable blackmail".

Israel has already stopped aid deliveries to Gaza amid the deadlock over the cease-fire.

Fresh airstrikes

While the fate of the cease-fire remains uncertain, both sides have largely refrained from all-out hostilities.

However, in recent days, Israel has conducted daily strikes in Gaza, targeting what it claims are militants.

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike killed four men in Gaza City, according to the territory's civil defense agency.

The Israeli military said its air force had struck "several terrorists engaged in suspicious activity posing a threat to IDF (Israeli) troops".

In Yemen, the Houthis said on Tuesday that they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden — ending a period of relative calm starting January with the Gaza cease-fire.

The Houthis had launched more than 100 attacks targeting ships from November 2023, saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

The group said the ban on Israeli shipping would "take effect from the time this statement is issued "and that "any Israeli ship attempting to violate this ban shall be targeted in the declared zone of operations".

The leader of Yemen's Houthis had warned on Friday that the group would resume its naval operations against Israel if it did not lift a blockade of aid into Gaza within four days.

Agencies via Xinhua