Hamas says ready for new Gaza peace talks

Hamas said on Thursday that it is ready to engage in a "new and serious" round of negotiations to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement.

"We are making a continuous effort with all parties to reach an agreement... leading to the end of this war, a permanent ceasefire, and the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip, in addition to immediate relief for our people, ending the siege, and reaching an honorable exchange deal," Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and head of the group's negotiating team, said in a statement.

Al-Hayya said contacts with mediators and others are ongoing for a new round of talks, noting that the group had not rejected the latest US ceasefire proposal but demanded changes to secure the end of the war in Gaza.

He stressed that Hamas is ready to "hand over the government in Gaza immediately to any agreed-upon professional Palestinian national body."

On March 18, Israel resumed military assaults in Gaza, effectively ending a phased truce reached in January. Several rounds of mediated talks have been held recently, but all have failed to restore the Gaza ceasefire.

The death toll in Gaza from the Israeli attacks has reached 54,677 since the start of the offensive in 2023, according to data released by Gaza's health authorities on Thursday.