The ceasefire talks to end the war in Gaza have stalled as Hamas and Israel exchange blame over undermining attempts to reach a deal, reported AFP.
After nearly a week of indirect negotiations in Doha, both sides accuse each other of blocking attempts to achieve progress over a US-backed 60-day truce that would pave the way for further negotiations to reach an agreement that ends the 21-month war.
Withdrawal Dilemma
A sticking issue in the talks is the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. According to a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations, Israel insists on keeping its troops in Gaza, which is holding back progress in the talks.
Hamas demands a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, while Israel wants to keep troops in more than 40% of the enclave – a move that the Palestinian group rejects and sees as an attempt to force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a small area near the southern city of Rafah, according to a Palestinian source.
“Hamas’s delegation will not accept the Israeli maps… as they essentially legitimize the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement,” two Palestinian sources told AFP.
Mediators Efforts
The mediators Egypt, Qatar and the US are making efforts to save negotiations by asking both Hamas and Israel to postpone talks until the US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrives in Doha, a second Palestinian source told AFP.
The source also said that talks saw “some progress” on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners and getting more aid into the enclave.
Last week, the US President, Donald Trump, expressed optimism regarding the Gaza ceasefire talks. During his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday in the White House, Trump told reporters that he thinks the talks were progressing in a good way. “I don’t think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well,” he said.
Israeli Accusations
On the other hand, Israeli media reported that Israeli negotiators would present new maps on Sunday.
Israeli officials accused Hamas of deliberately rejecting the proposed plans to sabotage the talks. A senior Israeli official told AFP that the Palestinian movement is inflexible and deliberately trying to obstruct the deal.
“Hamas rejected the Qatari proposal, is creating obstacles, refusing to compromise, and is accompanying the talks with a psychological warfare campaign aimed at sabotaging the negotiations,” a senior Israeli official said, adding that “Israel has demonstrated a willingness to show flexibility in the negotiations.”
Moreover, Netanyahu said this week that neutralizing and disarming Hamas is a prerequisite for any long-term ceasefire talks. However, the Israeli Prime Minister is facing mounting domestic and international pressures to end the war and bring hostages home. In the light of this, thousands of Israelis took to the streets in Tel Aviv, demanding the government to secure a hostage deal.
Ceasefire proposal
Both Hamas and Israel are negotiating over a US-backed 60-day ceasefire proposal, during which the US would work with all parties to end the war.
According to the AP, the proposal involves a 60-day truce, during which Hamas will release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 in phases. In exchange, Israel will release a number of Palestinian prisoners and the humanitarian aid flow into Gaza will increase under the UN supervision.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops will withdraw to a buffer zone along Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt. Both sides will begin negotiations on ending the war, with mediators Egypt and Qatar acting as guarantors. The ceasefire may be extended if negotiations to end the war are not complete by the end of the 60 days. Moreover, Trump will personally announce the ceasefire agreement once reached.
Intensified Campaign
As negotiators were holding talks in Qatar, Israel has intensified its strikes in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Civil Defense, Israeli strikes killed at least 38 people on Saturday, including in an overnight airstrike on a shelter for the displaced.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced on Saturday it had hit “approximately 250 terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip” over the past 48 hours, adding that its fighter jets attacked more than “35 Hamas targets” in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 57,882 Palestinians and injured over 138,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Moreover, 805 Palestinians have been killed near aid distribution centers, the Ministry added.
