Gaza ceasefire hopes dwindle after US and Israel withdraw from negotiations, accusing Hamas of bad faith
US envoy Steve Witkoff announced the American delegation was being recalled for consultations, stating bluntly that "Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith".
"We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza," Witkoff posted on social media platform X.
No official comment was immediately issued by Hamas.
The latest setback follows months of stalled efforts aimed at halting the war, securing the release of Israeli hostages, and addressing Gaza's worsening humanitarian crisis. An Israeli official familiar with the negotiations said Hamas' latest position 'does not allow for progress without a concession' but stressed that Israel remained committed to continuing discussions.
Both sides remain under growing pressure at home and abroad to reach a deal. For Israel, domestic concern over the condition and fate of hostages taken in the 7 October attacks continues to mount. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the humanitarian situation has turned dire, with food shortages worsening by the day.
Dozens have reportedly starved to death in recent weeks, with local health officials describing a catastrophic wave of hunger sweeping the besieged enclave.
Gaza's health ministry said two more people had died from malnutrition. Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed the two patients had pre-existing illnesses but perished after going days without food.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the deepening crisis, describing the suffering and starvation as an "unspeakable and indefensible" humanitarian catastrophe.
"While the situation has been grave for some time, it has reached new depths and continues to worsen. We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe," he said in a statement, adding that he would hold urgent talks with France and Germany to discuss coordinated action to 'stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need.'
Earlier on Thursday, there had appeared to be some glimmers of hope. A senior Hamas figure told Reuters that a ceasefire deal was still possible within days but accused Israel of stalling. Separately, an Israeli official had indicated to local press that the latest draft proposal was 'workable'.
However, Israel's Channel 12 later reported that significant gaps remained between the sides, including disagreement over where Israeli forces should redeploy during any ceasefire.
The US delegation, led by Witkoff, did not respond to requests for clarity on what demands from Hamas triggered their decision to walk away from the table.
Back in Israel, the Hostages Families Forum voiced alarm over the development, warning that halting the talks could cost lives.
"Each day that passes endangers the hostages' chances of recovery and risks losing the ability to locate the fallen or gain vital intelligence about them," the group said.
Israel, which sealed off Gaza entirely in March before partially reopening crossings under new restrictions in May, insists it is letting in enough aid. It blames the United Nations for delivery delays - a claim the UN rejects, citing the immense operational challenges under Israeli restrictions.
The conflict erupted after Hamas militants stormed into Israel on 7 October, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, Israeli bombardments and ground operations have left nearly 60,000 Palestinians dead, according to health officials in Gaza.
-With Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
Israel announces daily pauses in military bombardment of Gaza as aid airdrops begin
Israel announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropped supplies into the enclave, where images of starving Palestinians have alarmed the world. Israel has been facing growing international criticism, which the government rejects, over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have broken off with no deal in sight. US President Donald Trump, on a visit to Scotland, said Israel would have to make a decision on its next steps in Gaza, and he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with Hamas. Military activity will stop from 10am to 8pm until further notice in Al-Mawasi, a designated humanitarian area along the coast, in central Deir al-Balah and in Gaza City, to the north. The military said designated secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine will also be in place between 6am and 11pm starting from Sunday. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said staff would step up efforts to feed the hungry during the pauses in the fighting. "Our teams on the ground ... will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window," he said on X. In their first airdrop in months, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates parachuted 25 tons of aid into Gaza on Sunday local time, a Jordanian official said, adding that those were not a substitute for delivery by land. Palestinian health officials in Gaza City said at least 10 people were injured by falling aid boxes. Work on a UAE project to run a new pipeline that will supply water from a desalination facility in neighbouring Egypt to around 600,000 Palestinians along the coast would also begin in a few days, the Israeli military said. Dozens of Palestinians have died of malnutrition in recent weeks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry reported six new deaths over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition, bringing the total deaths from malnutrition and hunger since 2023 to 133, including 87 children. On Saturday, a five-month-old baby, Zainab Abu Haleeb, died of malnutrition at Nasser Hospital, health workers said. "Three months inside the hospital and this is what I get in return, that she is dead," said her mother, Israa Abu Haleeb, as the baby's father held their daughter's body wrapped in a white shroud. The Egyptian Red Crescent said it was sending more than 100 trucks carrying over 1,200 metric tons of food to southern Gaza on Sunday. Some had been looted in the area of Khan Younis after entering Gaza, residents said. Naima Abu Ful holds her malnourished 2-year-old child, Yazan, at their home in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. Source: AP / Jehad Alshrafi Aid groups said last week there was mass hunger among Gaza's 2.2 million people and international alarm over the humanitarian situation has increased. A group of 25 states including Britain, France and Canada last week said Israel's denial of aid was unacceptable. The military's spokesperson said Israel was committed to international law and monitors the humanitarian situation daily. Brigadier General Effie Defrin claimed there was no starvation in Gaza, but appeared to acknowledge conditions were critical. Israel cut off aid to Gaza from the start of March to pressure Hamas into giving up dozens of hostages it still holds and reopened it with new restrictions in May. Many Palestinians expressed some relief at Sunday's announcement, but said fighting must end. "People are happy that large amounts of food aid will come into Gaza," said Tamer Al-Burai, a business owner. "We hope today marks a first step in ending this war that burned everything up." Health officials at Al-Awda and Al-Aqsa Hospitals in central Gaza said Israeli firing killed at least 17 people waiting for aid trucks. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at suspects endangering troops and was unaware of any casualties. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue to allow the entry of humanitarian supplies whether it is fighting or negotiating a ceasefire and vowed to press on with the campaign until "complete victory". Hamas said Israel was continuing its military offensive. "What is happening isn't a humanitarian truce," said Hamas official Ali Baraka.
Canberra Times
an hour ago
- Canberra Times
Aid lorries enter Gaza as Israel takes 'tactical pause'
UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher welcomed the announcement by the Israeli military. "In contact with our teams on the ground who will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window," he wrote on X.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
EU and US agree trade deal with 15% tariffs for European exports
Frankfurt: The European Union has ended months of dispute with US President Donald Trump by accepting a deal that imposes 15 per cent tariffs on billions of dollars in exports, submitting to the terms out of concern he might otherwise punish Europe with higher penalties. The outcome appears set to lift prices for American consumers and hurt sales for European exporters, in the latest example of global brinksmanship as Trump forces tariffs on major economies in the hope of raising huge sums of revenue for the US government. In a surprise addition to the deal, the EU agreed to buy energy worth $US750 billion from the US over the years ahead – part of the bloc's broader objective of reducing reliance on Russian gas. Trump said the EU would also invest $US600 billion more in the US economy, echoing a vague investment pledge in a trade deal with Japan last week. The deal was unveiled in Scotland on Sunday during Trump's visit to his golf estates, as hundreds of protesters gathered to object to his visit, while supporters chanted his name outside some of his events. 'I think this is the biggest deal ever made,' Trump told reporters after he emerged from talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European industries were divided on the trade dispute over recent weeks, with German car makers anxious to gain a deal because of the threat to their sales from even higher tariffs, while French industry canvassed retaliation against US demands. Von der Leyen confirmed the 15 per cent tariff applied 'across the board' and framed the outcome as a win for stability. 'We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal,' she said.
