Gaza ceasefire talks will resume next Monday after negotiations broke down over ongoing disagreements between Hamas and Israel, according to Egyptian and Hamas sources familiar with the matter.
The US, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying to mediate between the Palestinian group and Israel to end the nearly 22-month war.
Despite the abrupt withdrawal of the Israeli and American delegations and negative statements made by US envoy Steve Witkoff, negotiations have not collapsed, Egyptian and Qatari mediators told the Hamas leadership in Doha.
This is according to The New Arab’s sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, citing one Egyptian source.
Witkoff had blamed Hamas for failing to reach a deal and said Washington would "consider alternative options".
Israeli and US negotiating teams will return to Doha on Monday to resume the talks, mediators from both sides told their Egypt and Qatar counterparts.
"The mediators received clear information from a senior US official that the American delegation would return to Doha on Sunday evening to resume negotiations next Monday," the Egyptian source said.
In a joint statement, Qatar and Egypt affirmed, in partnership with the US, their commitment to continuing efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
The Hamas official blamed Israel and its ally, the US, for trying to undermine the negotiating process and holding the Palestinian group responsible for the failure to reach a deal, which the official said only serves Israel’s goals.
The official added that the US and Israel were trying to force Hamas into making damaging concessions and accepting an agreement that does not meet any of Gaza’s demands, through tightening the siege on Gaza and preventing the entry of aid.
Main sticking points include the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the besieged Palestinian territory and entry and distribution of humanitarian aid.
Israel has insisted on destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, and Israeli officials have openly spoken about displacing Gaza’s inhabitants.
Israel has killed more than 59,000 people in Gaza since the war began on 7 October 2023, most of them civilians, the enclave’s health ministry says. Thousands more are believed to be buried beneath the rubble.
Among the casualties are more than 100 people – mostly children – who have starved to death as Israel blocks adequate amounts of food aid from entering.