Gaza truce talks in the balance as Israel and Hamas trade blame - War on Gaza

Al-Ahram Weekly

7 hours ago

Gaza ceasefire talks hung in the balance as Hamas and Israel accused the other of blocking attempts to strike a deal, nearly a week into an attempt to halt 21 months of war in the Palestinian territory.
A Palestinian source with knowledge of the indirect talks in Qatar told AFP that Israel's proposals to keep its troops in the war-torn territory were holding up a deal for a 60-day pause.
But on the Israeli side, a senior political official, also speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivities of the talks, accused Hamas of inflexibility and deliberately trying to scuttle an accord.
Both Hamas and Israel have said that 10 captives held in Gaza would be released -- if an agreement is reached.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed he was prepared then to enter talks for a more permanent end to the war.
Enclave plans?
But one Palestinian source said Israel's refusal to accept Hamas's demand for a complete withdrawal of troops from Gaza was holding back progress in the talks.
A second source said mediators had asked both sides to postpone discussions until US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrives in the Qatari capital.
The first source said Israel was proposing to maintain its military in more than 40 percent of the Palestinian territory, forcing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians into a small area near the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt.
"Hamas's delegation will not accept the Israeli maps... as they essentially legitimise the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement," they said.
Israeli media reported that new maps would be presented on Sunday, quoting an unnamed foreign official with knowledge of the details.
A senior Israeli political official countered later that it was Hamas that rejected what was on the table, accusing the group of "creating obstacles" and "refusing to compromise" with the aim of "sabotaging the negotiations".
"Israel has demonstrated a willingness to show flexibility in the negotiations, while Hamas remains intransigent, clinging to positions that prevent the mediators from advancing an agreement," the official added in a statement sent to AFP.
Two previous ceasefires -- a week-long truce beginning in late November 2023 and a two-month one from mid-January this year -- saw 105 captives released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The second Palestinian source said "some progress" had been made in the latest talks on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and getting more aid to Gaza.
Netanyahu, who is under domestic and international pressure to end the war, said this week that neutralising Hamas as a security threat was a prerequisite for any long-term ceasefire talks.
That included disarmament, he said, warning that failure to do so would mean Israel would have to do so by force.
At least 57,882 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since the start of the Israeli war, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
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