3 days of negotiations with Hamas over a cease-fire in Gaza & release of Israeli hostages failed to achieve a breakthrough

The three days of negotiations with Hamas over a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages failed to achieve a breakthrough. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have spent weeks trying to broker an agreement in which Hamas would release Israeli captives in return for a six-week ceasefire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners, and more aid to Gaza.

As per reports, Hamas has refused to release all of the estimated 100 hostages it holds, unless Israel ends its



offensive, withdraws from Gaza, and releases a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including fighters serving life sentences.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said that his group wants a permanent ceasefire, rather than a six-week pause, and a “complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. Meanwhile, Israel wants Hamas to hand over a list of captives who are alive, as well as the captive-to-prisoner ratio it seeks in any release deal.