Netanyahu to renew ceasefire talks with Hamas for release of hostages

Rafah: While news of deadly fighting keeps coming from Gaza, information from Israel was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to convene his war cabinet on Sunday to talk fresh efforts for a truce in Gaza, Agence France-Presse.

Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv, which caused people to run for shelter, though Israeli air defences intercepted all the rockets.

The United States, Israel's closest ally, is putting a good effort into bringing a ceasefire in Gaza. US President Joe Biden has sought a renewed global effort for the cause while CIA chief Bill Burns met Mossad director David Barnea as well as Qatar PM in Paris.

In the talks, what Israel focuses is on the release of hostages by Hamas, but the latter is insisting on a permanent end to the war, which broke out in October. But Netanyahu is not turning back until the whole of the Hamas is brought toe as per his claims.

AFP learned that Netanyahu's war cabinet will meet on Sunday night in Jerusalem to discuss the hostage release deal. The administration intends to renew the talks next week, and this is after negotiations involving mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt stopped early this month.

Meanwhile, in the latest step towards recognising Palestine as an independent state, Norway handed over diplomatic papers to the Palestinian Prime Minister on Sunday. However, the Associated Press reported that the symbolic move infuriated Israel.

Ireland and Spain made a concerted pledge with Norway to recognise a Palestinian state, a historic move that increases Israel's isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza.