In the wake of three days of intense negotiations with Hamas, Egyptian officials announced on Tuesday that no breakthrough had been achieved.
This comes less than a week before the commencement of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which had been informally set as the deadline for a deal.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been engaged in weeks of diplomatic efforts to broker an agreement. The proposed deal would see Hamas release up to 40 hostages in exchange for a six-week cease-fire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners, and a significant influx of aid to address the humanitarian crisis in the isolated Gaza Strip.
According to two Egyptian officials, the latest round of discussions has concluded. They revealed that Hamas had put forth a proposal that mediators would discuss with Israel in the coming days.
However, Hamas has remained steadfast in its refusal to release all of the estimated 100 hostages it holds, along with the remains of approximately 30 more. The group insists that Israel must first end its offensive, withdraw from Gaza, and release a significant number of Palestinian prisoners, including senior militants serving life sentences.
U.S. officials have expressed skepticism about Hamas' willingness to strike a deal, citing the group's resistance to several requests they deem legitimate, such as providing the names of hostages to be released.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Tuesday, "It is on Hamas to make decisions about whether it is prepared to engage." He added, "We have an opportunity for an immediate cease-fire that can bring hostages home, that can dramatically increase the amount of humanitarian aid getting in to Palestinians who so desperately need it, and can set the conditions for an enduring resolution."
Jihad Taha, a spokesperson for Hamas, indicated that negotiations were ongoing, but asserted that "the ball is in the Israeli court." He claimed that Israel had thus far refused Hamas' demands for individuals who fled northern Gaza to be allowed to return and for guarantees of a long-term cease-fire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
"Hamas is open to proposals and initiatives that are consistent with its position calling for a cease-fire, withdrawal, the return of the displaced, the entry of relief convoys and reconstruction," Taha said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected Hamas' demands and repeatedly pledged to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and all the hostages are returned. Israel did not send a delegation to the latest round of talks.
An Israeli official stated that Israel was still awaiting a list of living hostages from Hamas, as well as the hostage-to-prisoner ratio it seeks in any release deal. It remains unclear whether this information was included in the latest proposal.
The Israeli and Egyptian officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media on the negotiations.
Benny Gantz, a member of Netanyahu's War Cabinet and his main political rival, met with senior U.S. officials in Washington. This visit drew a rebuke from the prime minister, indicating a growing rift within Israel's leadership.
Mediators had hoped to broker an agreement ahead of Ramadan, a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting that often sees heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions linked to access to a major holy site in Jerusalem. The month is expected to begin around March 10, depending on the sighting of the moon.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday, "The negotiations are sensitive. I cant say there is optimism or pessimism, but we havent yet reached a point at which we can achieve a cease-fire."
The war began with a Hamas attack into southern Israel on Oct. 7, in which Palestinian militants killed approximately 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages. More than 100 of them were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November.
The attack sparked an Israeli invasion of the enclave of 2.3 million people. Gaza's Health Ministry reports that the conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians. Aid groups claim that the fighting has displaced most of the territorys population and pushed a quarter of the population to the brink of famine.
The U.N. childrens agency announced on Monday that at least 10 children have reportedly died in isolated northern Gaza due to dehydration and malnutrition.
Adele Khodr, the UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated, "These tragic and horrific deaths are man-made, predictable and entirely preventable."
The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Sunday that 15 children have starved to death at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza and another six were at risk of dying from malnutrition and dehydration. It was not clear if the children had underlying medical conditions that increased their vulnerability.
Northern Gaza, the first target of Israels offensive, has suffered mass devastation. The World Food Program recently suspended aid shipments to the north, citing the breakdown of security. An attempt by the Israeli military to bring in aid ended in tragedy last week when over 100 Palestinians were fatally shot by Israeli forces or trampled to death in a melee.
Up to 300,000 Palestinians are believed to remain in northern Gaza after Israel ordered the evacuation of the entire region, including Gaza City, in October. Many have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive. The U.N. reports that one in six children under 2 in the north suffer from acute malnutrition.
The United States and other countries have carried out air drops in recent days, but aid groups say the expensive, last-ditch measure is not enough to address the soaring needs.
Israel is still carrying out strikes in all parts of Gaza and has threatened to expand its ground offensive to the southernmost city of Rafah, where around half of Gaza's population has sought refuge. Gantz has said the Rafah operation could begin as soon as Ramadan if there is no deal on the hostages.
Gazas Health Ministry reported that 97 people had been killed over the last 24 hours, bringing the overall Palestinian death toll to 30,631. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of the total casualties.
Israel maintains that it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames the high toll on Hamas because the militants operate in dense, residential areas. However, the army rarely accounts for individual strikes, which often result in the deaths of women and children.
Login