Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani

Pressure built for a Gaza ceasefire to be agreed at talks that resumed Thursday in Qatar, aiming to stop the spread of a war that the Hamas-run territory's health ministry said has killed 40,000.

A source with knowledge of the talks confirmed to AFP that they had begun in the Qatari capital Doha.

Hamas gave its official response to the latest truce proposal for Gaza on Tuesday, calling for a "complete halt" to Israeli "aggression" as fighting raged in the Palestinian territory.

"The response prioritises the interests of our Palestinian people and emphasises the necessity of a complete halt to the ongoing aggression on Gaza," Hamas said in a joint statement with Islamic Jihad.

In the first visit of a Greek foreign minister to Doha in five years, George Gerapetritis praised the mediation role of Qatar, stating that Greece has already offered its services and is a reliable interlocutor of all sides and supports in any way it can the resolution of the Middle East crisis.

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, speaking to public broadcaster ERT following his Qatar visit, emphasized the challenging circumstances for the region amidst Middle East turmoil, expressing concerns about hostilities extending to Lebanon and Syria. He stressed the urgency of an immediate ceasefire, citing threats to Red Sea navigation.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Netanyahu is trying to drag the region into war in order to stay in power and called upon the third parties not to bring their own conflicts to the region.

Fidan and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held a joint press conference following their meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha.

The Islamic world should increase its efforts to stop the Israeli brutality against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, as Türkiye is ramping up its diplomatic push to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The war between Israel and Hamas entered its seventh month on Sunday as US and other negotiators were expected to join the protagonists in Cairo in a renewed push for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officials, the militant group said, days after mediators said prospects for a new truce with Israel had dimmed.

The Qatar-based head of Hamas's political bureau will "hold discussions with Egyptian officials on the political situation and the situation in the field", a statement said.

Türkiye's top diplomat has voiced Ankara's endorsement for a new framework deal between Hamas and Israel which would bring about a new humanitarian pause and exchange of hostages.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke over the phone with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, late on Feb. 6 to discuss the framework deal created by Qatar and Egypt.

Key mediator Qatar said Tuesday that Hamas gave a "positive" response to a truce proposal as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured the region seeking an enduring end to Hamas's nearly four-month war with Israel.

Hamas confirmed it delivered its response to proposals hammered out a week ago in Paris between Qatar and other mediators.