Israel and Hamas fail to reach agreement on ceasefire in Gaza Strip
The ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip fail again (photo: Getty Images)
Negotiations on ending the war and exchanging hostages in the Gaza Strip have concluded without reaching a final agreement between the parties, report Times of Israel and Reuters.
During the latest round of talks in Cairo, Hamas and Israel failed to agree on several proposed terms presented by mediators.
Specifically, representatives of the Palestinian group rejected new conditions suggested by Israel. A key issue in the negotiations is the presence of Israeli troops in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor - a narrow strip of land, 14.5 kilometers long, along the southern border of the Gaza Strip with Egypt.
Hamas representatives stated that Israel has reneged on its commitment to withdraw troops from the corridor and has proposed new conditions, including checks on displaced Palestinians returning to the more densely populated northern part of the enclave once a ceasefire begins.
"We will not accept discussions about retractions from what we agreed to on July 2 or new conditions," said Hamas spokesperson Usama Hamdan on Sunday.
He also indicated that Hamas has provided mediators with their response to the latest proposal, stating that US discussions about an imminent agreement are unrealistic.
The Hamas delegation has left Cairo following talks with mediators. The group reiterated its demand that any agreement must include a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
Peace talks regarding the Gaza Strip
In the spring, negotiations began between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas regarding a ceasefire and hostage exchange in the Gaza Strip. The mediators in these talks include representatives from the US, Egypt, and Qatar.
In early July, Hamas agreed to the US proposal to start negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages, including soldiers and civilians.
The initial peace plan failed due to Israel's refusal to halt military operations in the Gaza Strip until the complete dismantling of Hamas leadership.
On August 19, Israel approved a US-proposed deal for the release of hostages.
However, new disagreements emerged between the parties regarding border corridors in the southern Gaza Strip.
Specifically, Egypt has called on Israel to relinquish control over the Rafah border crossing in the early days of a potential ceasefire.
