Hamas pushes back on Trump and Witkoff's criticisms, demands US pressure Israel
"We are appalled by the statements of U.S. President Trump and earlier by U.S. special envoy Witkoff, which contradict the mediators' assessment of Hamas' position and are inconsistent with the actual progress of negotiations that had been acknowledged by mediators, particularly Qatar and Egypt, as they expressed satisfaction and appreciation for our serious and constructive stance," Izzat Al-Rishq, member of Hamas Movement's Political Bureau, said in a statement.
Al-Rishq went on to claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was "the real obstructionist to all agreements," accusing Israeli officials of continuing to "put up obstacles, deceive, and evade commitments." He then demanded that the U.S. put more pressure on Israel "to seriously engage in ending the aggression and achieving a prisoner exchange deal," presumably referring to the remaining hostages in Gaza and Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
The Trump administration has spent months trying to end the war between Israel and Hamas, with no resolution in sight.
Hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza dimmed further after the U.S. pulled its delegation out of Qatar. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said in a statement that this was because Hamas' response to negotiations showed "a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza."
"While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza," Witkoff said in a statement Thursday.
Witkoff added that it was a "shame" Hamas has acted in such a "selfish way" and that the U.S. stands resolute in its efforts to bring permanent peace to the region.
On the same day the U.S. announced its negotiators would leave Qatar, Netanyahu's office said the Israeli team would also withdraw, citing Hamas' response.
President Donald Trump expressed his disappointment in Hamas' handling of the negotiations while speaking with press outside the White House on Friday. He speculated that Hamas did not want to make a deal because "they know what happens after you get the final hostages" out of Gaza.
"Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die, and it's very, very bad," Trump said. "It got to be to a point where you're going to have to finish the job."
Qatar and Egypt, which have acted as mediators in the talks, issued a joint statement on Friday in which the countries confirmed they would continue to work on securing a ceasefire.
"The two countries, in partnership with the United States of America, reaffirm their commitment to continuing efforts toward reaching a comprehensive agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip," Qatar and Egypt's joint statement read.
While the breakdown of negotiations is a clear setback, talks are expected to resume next week, according to Reuters, which cited Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV.
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