An Israeli delegation departed for Qatar on Sunday to engage in talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza, according to an Israeli official. The diplomatic move comes just hours ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Mounting public pressure in Israel has increased calls for a permanent ceasefire, though some members of Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition remain opposed. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and others have expressed conditional support for a negotiated settlement.

The Palestinian group Hamas said it had responded “in a positive spirit” to a recent U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, days after President Trump announced that Israel had accepted the necessary conditions for a 60-day truce. However, progress remains uncertain as a Palestinian official from a group aligned with Hamas raised concerns over issues including humanitarian aid, the operation of the Rafah border crossing, and the timeline for Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office acknowledged that Hamas had proposed changes to the ceasefire plan, which Israel deemed "not acceptable." Despite this, Israel confirmed the delegation’s travel to Qatar, stating that the mission would continue efforts “to secure the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to.” Netanyahu maintains that any deal must include the disarmament of Hamas, a condition the group has so far refused to consider.

Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv near the defense ministry headquarters to demand a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages, estimated at around 50. Families of those held captive expressed fears that any agreement might only lead to a partial release. “I think unfortunately, it's going to be a partial deal,” said Dalia Cusnir, whose sister-in-law is among the hostages. “But what Prime Minister Netanyahu and the team keep saying is that it’s not a partial deal.”