US rejects ‘impractical’ Hamas demands as Gaza truce talks stall

Talks aimed at extending the Gaza ceasefire have failed to reach an agreement, as a Palestinian official told the BBC that negotiations in Qatar had hit a deadlock.

The United States accused Hamas of making “entirely impractical” demands in response to a proposal by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The plan sought to extend the first phase of the ceasefire until mid-April, allowing for further exchanges of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

However, disagreements remain between Hamas and Israel over key elements of the deal. While Israel has accepted the US proposal, Hamas insists on conditions such as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, which Israel resists.

A statement from the US National Security Council warned Hamas that “time is not on its side” and that the US would respond accordingly if negotiations failed.

Hamas, which is believed to be holding up to 24 Israeli hostages and the remains of 35 others, said in a statement that it was willing to release the last known Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, along with the remains of four dual nationals captured in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The 2023 attack, led by Hamas, killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, most of them civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has killed over 48,520 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The war has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, with an estimated 70% of buildings damaged or destroyed, and severe shortages of basic necessities like food, water, and medical supplies.

As negotiations remain stalled, the future of the ceasefire and the fate of remaining hostages hang in the balance.

Credit: BBC