Israel and Hamas trade blame amid little sign of breakthrough in ceasefire and hostage talks
CNN
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a video statement accusing Hamas of making unacceptable demands in negotiations for the freedom of hostages from Israel.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he “cannot accept” Hamas’ demands to end the war in Gaza as the two sides traded blame amid fresh ceasefire talks that showed little sign of a breakthrough. Discussions are thought to have centered around a new framework, proposed by Cairo, that calls for the militant group to release hostages kidnapped from Israel in exchange for a pause in hostilities in Gaza. A Hamas delegation has now left Egypt after the latest round of gruelling months of talks, saying “in-depth and serious discussions took place.” There had been some cause for optimism, with Egyptian media citing an Egyptian official as saying there had been “significant progress” in negotiations. But the latest comments from Israel and Hamas show how far apart the two remain. On Sunday, Hamas’ political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement that the group was “still keen” to reach an agreement with mediators but that any proposal would have to guarantee Israeli withdrawal and cease fighting in the enclave permanently. He reiterated that the delegation carried “positive and flexible positions” aimed at stopping “the aggression against our people, which is a fundamental and logical position that lays the foundation for a more stable future.”