Hamas says Israel blocking ceasefire and captive release talks

The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas on Friday accused Israel of blocking a deal in talks for a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza.

Negotiators from both sides have been in indirect talks in Qatar since July 6 to try to agree on a 60-day truce in the conflict, which would see 10 captives freed. But after nearly two weeks, there has been no breakthrough and each side has blamed the other for refusing to budge on their key demands.

For Israel, those demands include dismantling Hamas as a fighting force and security threat while Hamas wants firmer guarantees on a lasting peace, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the freer flow of aid.

In a video statement broadcast on Friday, the spokesman for the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaida, said Hamas had "always proposed a comprehensive deal that will return all the hostages at once." But he said Israel "rejected what we proposed," urging it to reconsider.

"If the enemy remains obstinate in this round of negotiations we cannot guarantee a return to the partial-deal proposals — including the 10-prisoner (hostage) exchange offer," he added.

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday that the talks remained in their "first phase" and that mediators were stepping up efforts to reach an agreement.

The Qatari spokesman refused to accept there was a stalemate and said there was no set timeframe for the talks.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would be prepared to enter talks for a longer-term ceasefire once a temporary halt in fighting is agreed.

The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Agence France-Presse