US withdraws from Hamas-Israel peace talks

The United States is withdrawing from the negotiations between Israel and Hamas because the latter is not willing to negotiate, said Steve Witkoff, the US special representative for the Middle East.

According to him, Hamas’s response “clearly demonstrates the lack of desire to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.” Washington now intends to discuss “alternative options for returning the hostages home and will try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff said, adding that the US team has been recalled from Doha “for consultations.”

Yesterday morning, Hamas announced that it had delivered a response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages. The group’s previous response, sent two days earlier, was rejected by the mediators, who considered the demands “unacceptable,” a source told The Times of Israel.

Hamas demands the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an end to the war, in exchange for which they promise to release all surviving hostages.