Hamas armed wing says Israel blocking cease-fire, hostage release talks

The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday accused Israel of blocking a deal in talks for a temporary cease-fire and the release of hostages in Gaza.

Negotiators from both sides have been engaged in indirect talks in Qatar since July 6 to reach an agreement on a 60-day truce in the conflict, which would involve the release of 10 captives.

But after nearly two weeks, there has been no breakthrough, and each side has blamed the other for refusing to budge on their key demands.

For Israel, those demands include dismantling Hamas as a fighting force and security threat, while Hamas wants firmer guarantees on a lasting peace, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the more unrestricted flow of aid.

In a video statement broadcast on Friday, the spokesperson for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said Hamas had "always proposed a comprehensive deal that will return all the hostages at once."

But he said Israel "rejected what we proposed," urging it to reconsider. 

"If the enemy remains obstinate in this round of negotiations, we cannot guarantee a return to the partial-deal proposals, including the 10-prisoner [hostage] exchange offer," he added.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, said on Tuesday that the talks remained in their "first phase" and that mediators were stepping up efforts to reach an agreement.

The Qatari spokesperson refused to acknowledge a stalemate and stated that there was no set timeframe for the talks.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would be prepared to enter talks for a longer-term cease-fire once a temporary halt in fighting is agreed.

The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

A total of 251 hostages were taken, of whom 49 are still being held, including 27, the Israeli military says, are dead.

Israel's military reprisals have killed 58,667 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The U.N. considers these figures to be reliable.