Talks stuck on Hamas demand for Israeli up-front commitment to permanent truce

The changes that Hamas have requested to a ceasefire proposal presented by the United States are “not significant” and include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, a senior leader in the group tells Reuters.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday that Hamas had proposed numerous changes, some unworkable, to the US-backed proposal, but that mediators were determined to close the gaps.

Hamas demands it select a list of 100 Palestinians with long term sentences to be released from Israeli jails, says the senior Hamas leader.