Hamas says ready to start Gaza ceasefire talks with Israel ‘immediately’

Hamas ally Islamic Jihad says it supports plans for talks on a truce with Israel in Gaza, but demanded “guarantees” that the process would lead to a permanent ceasefire.

The announcement came after it held consultations with other Palestinian factions and before a visit on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, where President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the war, now in its 21st month.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 57,268 people and wounded 135,625, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive.