Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel resumed on Saturday in the Qatari capital Doha, according to senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi. Mardawi said the talks are being held under Qatari and U.S. mediation in an effort to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and finalize a hostage exchange deal, without preconditions. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Saturday the resumption of negotiations with Hamas, saying Hamas' return to the negotiation table marks a shift from what he described as a refusal position it has taken so far. According to Katz, the change followed the launch of Israel's newly initiated military operation codenamed "Gideon's Chariots," which aims to expand the scope of fighting in Gaza and advance key war objectives, including the release of hostages and the dismantling of Hamas. On Friday night, the Israeli military announced that it had escalated operations in Gaza, carrying out a wave of airstrikes and deploying additional ground forces, noting that the intensified assault marks the start of the "Gideon's Chariots" operation. Israeli public radio Kan reported that the current proposal under discussion in Doha includes the release of approximately 10 or more hostages in exchange for a ceasefire lasting from one and a half to two months. As part of the agreement, Israel will release about 200 to 250 Palestinian detainees. The two sides still have differences on the specific number of people to be exchanged, according to the report. An Israeli official said on the Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the Israeli negotiation team to temporarily stay in Qatar on the same day to promote the conclusion of the agreement. In January, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, but the ceasefire negotiations in the second stage failed to advance. Israel resumed large-scale air strikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip starting from March 18, citing Hamas' refusal to accept the subsequent ceasefire plan proposed by the U.S. government and the release of detained Israeli personnel. The scope of the operations has since continued to expand, resulting in a large number of casualties. The video shows: FILE: Doha, Qatar - Date Unknown 1. National flag of Qatar 2. Various of buildings, traffic Gaza Strip - May 16-17, 2025 3. Various of displaced Palestinians, destroyed buildings, rubble, traffic Gaza City, Gaza Strip - April 27, 2025 4. Palestinians waiting for food distribution 5. Various of Palestinian children scrambling for food Gaza City, Gaza Strip - May 7, 2025 6. Ambulance rushing through street 7. People carrying injured resident into hospital 8. Man weeping; residents 9. Various of injured residents, others in hospital [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]