US and Israel pull out of ceasefire talks as Gaza reels under war and starvation - War on Gaza

Al-Ahram Weekly

3 days ago

The United States and Israel have pulled their negotiating teams out of ceasefire talks in Qatar, despite Hamas reaffirming its 'keenness to continue the negotiations', and as Gaza faces mass starvation and devastation under Israel's genocidal war, which has killed tens of thousands and reduced the territory to rubble.
President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced the US withdrawal on Thursday, blaming Hamas for the failure to reach an agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office also recalled its negotiating team in response to Hamas's latest position, offering no further details.
In a statement released early Friday, Hamas said it had offered its final answer following wide consultations with Palestinian factions, mediators and governments in the region.
It said it had dealt positively with all the feedback it received, reflecting a 'true commitment' to making the efforts of the mediators successful and to 'deal constructively' with the presented initiatives.
It reaffirmed its 'keenness to continue the negotiations and to engage in a way that would ease obstacles and ensure reaching a permanent ceasefire.'
The US/Isreali move to pull back out of the ceasefire talks comes amid widespread condemnation by dozens of international aid organisations and Western, Arab, and muslim nations of the Israeli policies of starving 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza as Tel Aviv continues its 21-month genocidal war on the strip.
The international and regional condemnation of Israel and the US's unfaltering support of its ally Tel Aviv has increased by the day as images of tens of dead, emaciated people, including children, sent shivers down the spines of millions around the world.
On Thursday, health officials in Gaza confirmed that at least 40 Palestinians, including many children and the elderly, died in July alone from complications of starvation.
Israel has blocked the entry of all food, water, and medical supplies to Gaza since 2 March to starve the population.
Gazans have not seen any meat, poultry, fish or milk for nearly five months and were seeking flour from so-called humanitarian aid centres set up by the US and Israel.
Israeli troops have killed nearly 1,000 aid seekers since mid-May, prompting widespread international condemnation.
Despite Hamas's stated willingness to continue talks, Witkoff claimed: 'While the mediators have made a great effort, 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.'
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott declined to explain what 'alternative options' the US is considering to free captives held by Hamas.
Hamas, which has consistently demanded a permanent ceasefire, an end to Israel's blockade, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, said it was surprised by Witkoff's 'negative remarks'.
In a separate statement, the group said it had shown responsibility and flexibility during the negotiations and was 'keen to reach an agreement that ends the aggression and the suffering of our people in Gaza.'
When pressed on how the US would proceed in seeking a truce, Pigott offered no clarity, telling reporters: 'This is a very dynamic situation.' He insisted the US remained committed to a ceasefire, while again blaming Hamas for the lack of progress.
Negotiators have held weeks of indirect talks in Qatar, with only minor signs of movement and no substantive breakthrough. A key point of contention remains the status and redeployment of Israeli forces after any ceasefire.
Witkoff said the US is 'resolute' in seeking an end to the war in Gaza and added it was 'a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.'
The White House declined to comment.
The deal under discussion was expected to include an initial 60-day ceasefire, during which Hamas would release 10 living captives and the remains of 18 others in phases, in exchange for Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel.
The agreement would also lift Israel's blockade, allowing the free flow of humanitarian aid, and pave the way for talks on a permanent ceasefire.
The Israeli genocidal war on Gaza has killed and wounded nearly 200,000 Palestinians and destroyed most of the strip.
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