After weeks of stalled negotiations, Palestinian group Hamas indicated Thursday it is open to resuming cease-fire talks with Israel – but only if the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza improves first.
In a late statement, Hamas called continuing talks under current conditions “meaningless and ineffective,” spotlighting the urgent need for aid as nearly two million civilians suffer amid conflict.
Indirect peace talks held in Doha and mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar recently collapsed amid sharp disagreements.
Israeli and U.S. officials blamed Hamas for derailing the process with excessive demands, while Hamas accused Israel of an unjustified withdrawal.
Neither side has formally declared the negotiations dead, keeping a fragile door open for future dialogue.
The latest proposal on the table called for a 60-day cease-fire, with Hamas agreeing to release 10 of the roughly 20 hostages believed alive, in exchange for a halt in Israeli military operations in Gaza.
However, disputes over aid delivery, cease-fire terms, and longer-term conditions scuttled the deal.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Hamas’ stance Thursday, saying the group lacks a genuine interest in peace and is emboldened by mounting international criticism of Israel’s military actions.
Saar portrayed Hamas as deliberately delaying talks to leverage global pressure.
The conflict erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, following Hamas' incursion into southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and abducted 250 into Gaza.
In response, Israel launched sustained airstrikes and a ground offensive.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health authority, over 60,000 Palestinians have died in the fighting – a figure disputed by Israel.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens.
The United Nations reports nearly 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents – about 1.9 million people – are internally displaced, crammed into overcrowded shelters and makeshift camps.
Hospitals strain under the influx of casualties amid critical shortages of food, water, and medicine. The Israeli blockade and ongoing violence exacerbate the dire conditions.
Mediators from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar continue urging both sides to return to negotiations, emphasizing a cease-fire’s critical role in delivering lifesaving aid and ending the bloodshed.
Yet the political landscape remains fraught.
International calls for investigations into alleged war crimes have complicated diplomacy, and mutual mistrust runs deep.
Hamas demands humanitarian relief as a precondition for talks, while Israel insists on security guarantees.
