GAZA CITY: Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked as both sides blame each other for the lack of progress.
The negotiations, mediated in Qatar, aim to pause 21 months of conflict in Gaza but face obstacles over troop withdrawals and territorial control.
A Palestinian source familiar with the discussions told AFP that Israel’s proposal to maintain military presence in parts of Gaza is delaying a potential 60-day truce.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official accused Hamas of inflexibility, claiming the group is deliberately obstructing an agreement.
On the ground, violence continues. Gaza’s civil defence reported at least 38 deaths on Saturday, including from an airstrike on a displacement shelter.
“We found them torn to pieces, their remains scattered,“ said Bassam Hamdan, a witness to the attack in Gaza City.
In southern Gaza, hospitals received casualties as medical teams struggled with limited resources. In Tel Aviv, thousands protested, urging the government to secure a hostage release deal.
“The window of opportunity is open now and it won’t be for long,“ said Eli Sharabi, a freed hostage.
Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a demand Israel rejects. Palestinian sources say mediators have paused talks until a US envoy arrives in Qatar.
Israel reportedly plans to present new territorial maps, but Hamas has dismissed them as legitimising occupation.
An Israeli official countered, stating Hamas refuses to compromise, while Israel has shown flexibility.
The conflict, sparked by Hamas’s 2023 attack, has claimed over 57,882 Palestinian lives, mostly civilians, and left 49 hostages still in captivity.
Military operations persist, with Israel targeting Hamas sites in northern Gaza.
Previous ceasefires saw hostage-prisoner exchanges, but Netanyahu insists on Hamas’s disarmament before long-term peace talks. – AFP
