Israel has decided to send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for proximity talks with Hamas on the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had accepted the invitation despite what he described as the "unacceptable" changes that Hamas wanted to make to a plan presented by mediators from Qatar,

The rise of Izz al-Din al-Haddad in the chain of command suggests the group will hold firm to its position demanding a total end to the war before releasing all remaining hostages.