Hamas and Israel blame each other for ceasefire delay
Hamas and Israel have hit some more snags in efforts to conclude a ceasefire agreement.
Israeli soldiers in Gaza in a photo released on Nov. 4, 2024. Photo by IDF Spokesperson/TPS-IL
The Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel have traded blame over the failure to conclude a ceasefire agreement despite progress reported by both sides in recent days.
On Wednesday, Hamas said that Israel had set new conditions, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of going back on understandings already reached.
“The occupation has set new conditions related to withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoners, and the return of the displaced, which has delayed reaching the agreement that was available,” Hamas said.
However, Hamas said it was showing flexibility and that the talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, were going in a serious direction.
Netanyahu countered in a statement: “the Hamas terrorist organisation continues to lie, is reneging on understandings that have already been reached, and is continuing to create difficulties in the negotiations”.
Israel will, however, continue relentless efforts to return hostages, he added.
Israeli negotiators returned to Israel from Qatar on Tuesday evening for consultations about a hostage deal after a significant week of talks, Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.
The US and Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt have stepped up efforts to conclude a deal in the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces kept up military pressure on the Palestinian enclave.
The Israeli army forced officials at the Indonesian hospital to evacuate patients and staff on Tuesday and continued to operate in the vicinity of the nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital.
They also ordered that hospital to be evacuated but officials there refused, citing risks to dozens of patients.
Israeli troops were operating in the vicinity of the hospital for the past two days and an Israeli security official said the area was a Hamas stronghold.
“Kamal Adwan is at the heart of the most complex fighting in Jabalia,” he said.
“We are being very careful.”
Reuters
