Egypt says Gaza ceasefire talks fail to make breakthrough

The US, Qatar and Egypt have spent weeks trying to reach a deal in which Hamas would release up to 40 hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners and a large flow of aid into the region.

Two Egyptian officials said the latest round of talks on the issue ended on Tuesday. They said the Hamas proposal would be discussed with Israel in the coming days. One of the officials said mediators would meet with a Hamas delegation on Wednesday.

who gave the Gaza ceasefire strikes no breakthrough picture 1 — Israeli soldiers near the border with the Gaza Strip, southern Israel. Photo: AP

Hamas has previously said it will not release all of the approximately 130 hostages it is holding unless Israel stops its offensive, withdraws from Gaza and releases a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including senior militants serving life sentences.

The move has raised questions in the US about whether Hamas really wants a ceasefire, as the militants have rejected several of what the US and others have said are legitimate demands, including naming the hostages to be released.

“Hamas must make a decision about whether it is willing to participate,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday. “We have an opportunity to implement an immediate ceasefire that could bring the hostages home, could dramatically increase the flow of much-needed humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, and could set the conditions for a lasting solution.”

On the same day, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said Hamas forces demanded a permanent ceasefire instead of a six-week pause, and a "complete withdrawal" of Israeli forces.

"The security and safety of our people will only be achieved through a permanent ceasefire, an end to aggression and a withdrawal from every inch of the Gaza Strip," Hamdan told reporters.

For its part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected Hamas' demands and has repeatedly vowed to continue the offensive until the group is disbanded and all hostages are released. Israel did not send a delegation to the latest round of talks.

An Israeli official said Israel is still waiting for Hamas to provide a list of surviving hostages as well as the hostage-to-prisoner ratio in any release deal. It was unclear whether that information would be included in the latest proposal.

Mediators had hoped to reach a deal before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is due to begin on March 10.

"The negotiations are very delicate. I cannot say whether I am optimistic or pessimistic, but we have not yet reached a point where we can reach a ceasefire," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday.

Nearly five months of fighting have left much of Gaza in ruins and created a worsening humanitarian disaster, leaving many, especially in the devastated north, scrambling for food to survive.

Ngoc Anh (according to AP)

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