Reports of progress in Gaza truce talks

An Israeli official has said that talks in France over a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict were productive.

By Nathan Morley

The Israeli mission, headed by Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea, returned to Israel on Saturday morning. According to local media, progress was achieved in the negotiations, brokered by Qatari and U.S. envoys.

However, Israel TV also reported that more work was needed to bridge gaps between Israel and Hamas.

It is understood that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's close associates are expected to receive an update on the results of the talks later on Saturday.

Death toll continues to rise

Earlier on Saturday, the Gaza health ministry reported that the Palestinian death toll from rolling Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 29,606.

Furthermore, the Hamas-run media office claimed that 132 Palestinian journalists had been killed by the Israeli army since the conflict erupted last year.

Calls to recognize Palestinian state

On Friday, the Palestinian foreign ministry rejected Benjamin Netanyahu's post-war plan for the Gaza Strip, which called for tightening Israel's security grip on the enclave.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian foreign ministry urged Washington and the international community to recognize the Palestinian state and push for its full membership in the UN.

Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here