Israel agrees to resume talks on humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza Strip

On March 29, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to send a negotiating team to Egypt and Qatar to resume negotiations on a humanitarian ceasefire and hostage exchange with the Hamas Islamist movement in the Gaza Strip.

A statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said Mr. Netanyahu spoke with the heads of the intelligence and security agencies Shin Bet and Mossad and "agreed to send negotiating teams to Doha and Cairo in the coming days."

The round of talks in Doha, Qatar, ended last week without any breakthrough. The talks came as the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Following this move by the United Nations Security Council, Israel withdrew its negotiating delegation from Doha.

The conflict between Hamas and Israel has lasted for more than five months in Gaza, causing a serious humanitarian crisis that is pushing Palestinians to the brink of famine.

The international community is increasingly concerned about the lack of food, medicine and medical equipment.

Regarding the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the Japanese government said it will resume aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which coordinates almost all aid to Gaza.

According to Japanese media, UNRWA is expected to start receiving aid from Japan from the first half of April.

Once the sixth-largest contributor to UNRWA, Japan joined more than 10 countries in January in suspending aid to the agency following Israeli accusations of involvement in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

Currently, some countries such as Australia, Canada, Sweden and Iceland have also resumed funding for UNRWA.