Hamas negotiators leave Cairo without breakthrough in ceasefire talks
Hamas negotiators left Cairo on Thursday without a breakthrough in ceasefire talks in Gaza, the group said, as hopes for an impending ceasefire in the five-month war with Israel continued to fade.
International mediators have tried to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would see the release of some hostages in Gaza and Palestinians in Israeli prisons, but weeks of indirect negotiations appear to have stalled. Hamas wants Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire during or after the release of hostages, a demand Israel has rejected.
“The Hamas delegation left Cairo today to consult with the movement’s leadership as negotiations and efforts continue to stop the aggression, return the displaced and provide assistance to the Palestinian people,” Hamas said on Telegram and reiterated his demands during the talks.
Egypt and Qatar, along with the United States, are trying to broker a ceasefire before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10, amid fears that flare-ups could occur during the fasting month.
But despite cautious optimism after Israeli officials met with mediators in Paris in mid-February, the hoped-for deal has yet to materialize. Under the proposed framework for a deal, roughly 40 of the more than 100 remaining hostages in Gaza and some Palestinian prisoners would be released during a six-week ceasefire, officials familiar with the matter said.
US officials have said Israel has more or less accepted the framework agreement. President Biden said earlier this week that “the Israelis have cooperated” and that it was now up to Hamas to accept the proposal.
“There is an offer that is rational,” Biden told reporters. He added that if a ceasefire is not reached before Ramadan, “it could be very, very dangerous.”
The Israeli prime minister’s office declined to comment on the status of the talks.
Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, said in a television interview on Wednesday evening that negotiations had “come to a standstill”. He accused Israel of “clearly undermining any horizon for an agreement” and demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli forces under any ceasefire. Israeli leaders have said they want to maintain control over security in Gaza after the war.
“The ball is not in our court,” Mr Mardawi told Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Ghad on Wednesday. “Whoever agrees with the fundamental demands of our people will pave the way for an agreement.”