The truce talks between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip ended on Sunday without concrete progress due to differences in positions after seven months of war. A senior Hamas official told AFP that the delegation of the Islamist group left for Qatar after disagreements over the terms of an agreement, which includes a truce and the release of hostages. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that accepting Hamas’ demands to end the war would be a defeat for Israel and equivalent to capitulation. In response, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh accused Netanyahu of sabotaging efforts to obtain a truce in Palestine, devastated after almost seven months of conflict.
The war broke out on October 7 after an attack by Islamist commandos in southern Israel, killing 1,170 people mostly civilians and kidnapping around 250 according to Israeli data. Israeli authorities estimate that following an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners in November, 128 people remain captive in Gaza and that 35 have died so far. The offensive launched by Israel in response to the attack has already left 34,683 dead in Gaza, mostly civilians according to the Ministry of Health.
The latest truce proposal presented to Hamas at the end of April provides for a 40-day cessation of fighting and an exchange of Israeli hostages held in Gaza from October 7 for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. However, a group will return to Cairo on Tuesday to conclude indirect negotiations with Israel reported Al Qahera News close to Egyptian intelligence services citing a well-informed source. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities announced the closure of Al Jazeera news network in Egypt for its coverage of the war
