The latest round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas hit an impasse on Sunday as mediators struggled to bridge remaining gaps and a Hamas delegation departed the talks in Cairo. An Israeli official confirmed the negotiations had stalled and described them as being in “crisis.” For months, the negotiations aimed at achieving a cease-fire and a release of hostages have made little progress, but signs that the two sides were coming closer to an agreement appeared over the last week. However, the setback over the weekend meant Palestinians living in miserable conditions in Gaza would not experience an imminent reprieve, and the families of hostages held by militants would have to wait longer for the freedom of their loved ones.
The main obstacle in the talks was the duration of a cease-fire, with Hamas demanding it be permanent and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel expressing openness to only a temporary halt in the fighting. Hamas blamed the lack of progress on Mr. Netanyahu, who vowed again in recent days that the Israeli army will invade Rafah, the southernmost town in the Gaza Strip, with or without an agreement. Rocket attacks by Hamas have been relatively rare in recent months, and Israel said it had responded with airstrikes targeting the site of the launches. The Biden administration has been pressing Israel to refrain from undertaking a major operation in the city.
Mr. Netanyahu has for weeks declared his intention to stage a ground offensive aimed at Rafah, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering. An Israeli official stated that Israel and Hamas were closer to a deal a couple of days ago, but Mr. Netanyahu’s statements about Rafah had compelled Hamas to harden its demands. Hamas is now seeking further guarantees that Israel would not implement only part of an agreement and then resume fighting. Two U.S. officials suggested that parties were still reviewing details of the most recent proposals and pushed back on the notion the talks were at an impasse. Mr. Netanyahu and the United States have been contending that Hamas was holding up an agreement.
An Israeli delegation never made it to Cairo for the latest round of talks. The Israeli official said that Israel had sought a written response to its latest proposal from Hamas before dispatching a delegation, but that the group never conveyed one. The cease-fire needs to be permanent and fixed, according to Hamas senior official Mr. Abu Marzouk. Hamas thought that Mr. Netanyahu wanted an agreement that would permit Israel to invade Rafah after its hostages are released. A technical team from the Qatari foreign ministry also left the Egyptian capital on Sunday to discuss getting the talks back on track.
On Monday, Hamas’s political leadership will convene in Doha to discuss what unfolded in Cairo over the past two days, but the group intended to continue participating in negotiations with “positivity.” The Qatari prime minister met with the CIA director to discuss the talks. A report in Al-Qahera News said that a Hamas delegation would return to Cairo on Tuesday, but the senior Hamas official said that the group hadn’t made a decision yet. Talks between Israel and Hamas have been ongoing for months, with little progress being made. The cease-fire duration remains a major sticking point, with Hamas pushing for a permanent halt to fighting while Israel is open to a temporary arrangement.
