The Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel on Wednesday, traded blame over their failure to conclude a ceasefire agreement despite progress reported by both sides in past days.
While Hamas said Israel had laid down further conditions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of going back on understandings already reached.
“The occupation has set new conditions related to withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoners, and the return of the displaced, which has delayed reaching the agreement that was available,” Hamas said.
It further stated that it was showing flexibility, stressing that the talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, were serious.
However, in a statement, Netanyahu countered, saying that the Hamas terrorist organization continues to lie.
He stressed that they were reneging on understandings that have already been reached, and is continuing to create difficulties in the negotiations.
“Israel will, however, continue relentless efforts to return hostages,” he added.
Israeli negotiators returned to Israel from Qatar on Tuesday evening for consultations about a hostage deal after a significant week of talks, Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.
The U.S. and Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt have stepped up efforts to conclude a phased deal in the past two weeks. One of the challenges has been agreements on Israeli troop deployments.
Speaking with commanders in southern Gaza, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz,
said on Wednesday that Israel will retain security control of the enclave, including by means of buffer zones and control posts.
Hamas is demanding an end to the war while Israel says it wants to end Hamas’ rule of the enclave first, to ensure it will no longer pose a threat to Israelis.