ISRAEL: Ceasefire Talks Begin, NYT: US Offs-IDF Has Achieved All It Can In Gaza

Talks involving a high-level Israeli delegation, and mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar meet in Doha today to begin the latest round of talks on reaching a hostages-for-ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Hamas will not participate directly in the talks, arguing that a UNSC-approved resolution is already on the table, but will talk to mediators afterwards. The talks are viewed as one of the last chancesof reaching a ceasefire in the short term. 

• Late on 14 Aug, NYT posted an article claiming that according to senior US officials, Israel has achieved all that it can militarily in Gaza in terms of countering Hamas, with a continuation of operations only likely to increase civilian casualties rather than diminish Hamas' fighting ability. The article adds that according to officials the largest remaining objective, securing the release of ~115 living and deceased hostages, cannot be achieved by military means but only by negotiations. 
• At the same time as ceasefire talks, PM Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene a two high-level meetings. The first will include Defence Minister Yoav Galant, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yisrael Katz, Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara and the high-level commanders of the IDF and other security services, and will discuss the ICC warrants issued against Isralei figures. This will be followed by a wider cabinet meeting discussing the current situation of the war in Gaza and tensions in the region. Starts at 2100 local time (1400CET, 1900BST).