Hamas: Mediators Relayed ‘Discouraging' Israeli Response to Truce Proposal

Asharq Al-Awsat

5 days ago

A Hamas official said on Friday that Israel's response to the group's latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza was 'discouraging,' casting further doubt on the prospect of a breakthrough in long-stalled truce talks.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the official said mediators had recently conveyed a verbal Israeli reply that maintained hardline positions rejected by the Palestinian faction.
'Israel is still insisting on enforcing the US-proposed aid mechanism, which Palestinians have already rejected, and on keeping its military positions inside the Gaza Strip,' the official said, adding that the response 'indicates there is no genuine intention to end the war.'
A source familiar with the negotiations told Reuters on Thursday that Israel had issued a reply on Wednesday to Hamas' latest amendments to a proposed deal involving a 60-day truce and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
After Hamas responded to the proposal, the United States and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams from Doha last week, suspending talks that had resumed on July 6. The breakdown was accompanied by a flurry of mutual accusations between Hamas, Washington, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a separate development, an Egyptian source familiar with the talks told Asharq Al-Awsat that the negotiations have been in crisis since the Israeli and US delegations left for consultations more than a week ago.
'Each side remains entrenched in its conditions, and none is showing flexibility that would suggest a breakthrough is near,' the source said, adding that Washington currently appears more focused on increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza than on reviving negotiations.
'Even if talks resume under pressure, Israel's intention to maintain its military presence in parts of the Strip suggests the negotiations may once again lead nowhere,' the source warned.
Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff visited an aid distribution center in Gaza on Friday, according to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who shared the news on X.
The White House said Witkoff travelled to the enclave to inspect food delivery operations and finalize a plan to speed up humanitarian aid flows.
Following their visit, the special envoy and ambassador will brief the president directly to secure approval of a final plan for distributing food and aid across the region, said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
US outlet Axios reported on Friday that President Donald Trump had said he was working on a plan to feed people in Gaza. On Thursday, Trump also urged Hamas to surrender, describing it as the fastest way to end the crisis.