Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel will dispatch a delegation to Qatar to participate in ceasefire negotiations over the Gaza conflict. However, Hamas has requested amendments to certain provisions in the Qatari proposal, which Israel currently finds unacceptable. On Friday, Hamas said it had accepted in principle a U.S.-brokered proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. Amid the prolonged hostilities, there is cautious optimism that talks in Qatar could open a path toward de-escalation. Since the start of the conflict, Israeli attacks in Gaza have left more than half a million Palestinians dead or injured.