Israeli officials have reported that ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled once again, with significant gaps remaining between the two sides concerning hostages, prisoners, and the future of Gaza, according to Bloomberg. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential talks, stated that a delegation of Israeli negotiators returned Tuesday evening after two days of discussions in Cairo and reported that Hamas is insisting on an immediate halt to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The officials noted that the Iran-backed group also wants residents of Gaza to be able to return to the northern part of the territory after they were urged by the Israeli army to move south at the beginning of the conflict. They mentioned that another contentious point is Hamas's call for the release of all Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
These matters reflect Hamas's hardening position compared to previous negotiations, according to the Israeli officials, and are demands that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government will not accept. Israel has proposed a 42-day ceasefire during which dozens of hostages would be exchanged for several hundred prisoners, and many residents of northern Gaza could also return home after Israeli forces check them for weapons or links to Hamas.
The officials stated that Hamas believes its position has strengthened due to increasing international pressure on Israel as the war intensifies. This was evident in the U.S. decision not to veto last month's United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to speak with Netanyahu on Thursday, expressed his "outrage" at the Israeli raid on Monday that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza, including an American citizen.
The officials reported that Hamas is determined to maintain its rule in Gaza even after the fighting stops, while Israel insists that the war will continue until the group is destroyed. Hamas launched an assault into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping around 250 others. More than 32,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its air and ground offensive, according to the health ministry run by Hamas. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
Qatar, the United States, and Egypt are mediating talks between Israel and Hamas. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated on Wednesday that negotiations have reached an impasse regarding the return of displaced persons to their homes in Gaza. The officials mentioned that Israel still wishes to move its forces to the city of Rafah in southern Gaza to destroy the four remaining Hamas brigades there, estimating that they have nearly 8,000 fighters among them. The United States has expressed concern about the plan, stating that there is no way to quickly relocate over a million civilians in Rafah, and there is no safe place for them to go.
