Israel has officially recalled its negotiating team from Doha following a significant escalation in demands by Hamas, marking a critical setback in ongoing ceasefire discussions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declared Thursday that the team is returning to Israel for further consultations, emphasizing that Hamas’ position has become increasingly inflexible. The situation took a sharp turn when the Palestinian militant group demanded the release of 200 Palestinians serving life sentences for murdering Israelis, a number that far exceeds previous mediated agreements. In addition to these prisoners, Hamas is also seeking the release of 2,000 Palestinians detained in Gaza since the start of the conflict, a request that reportedly surpasses the earlier framework agreed upon by Israeli officials. According to reports, the mediator-backed plan proposed by Qatar and Egypt was seen as a feasible step forward, but now appears to be obsolete given the new demands, which Israel has described as unacceptable.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy, confirmed the decision, stating that the Hamas response clearly showed a “lack of desire” to achieve a ceasefire, and that the group is not acting in good faith. He expressed his disappointment with Hamas’ approach and called for considering alternative options to retrieve the hostages currently held in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have reiterated their frustration with the recent joint statement by 25 countries condemning Israel’s conduct in Gaza, which they claim is out of touch with the reality on the ground and sends the wrong message to Hamas. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it clear that while all statements should be directed at Hamas, the organization is the main responsibility for the stalemate in ceasefire talks. This issue has been exacerbated by the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the United Nations and international aid agencies have warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians are facing severe food insecurity. Some residents in the north are now surviving on animal feed and foraged plants, while chaotic aid deliveries in the south continue to cause fatalities.
Despite these challenges, Israel is stepping up efforts to deliver aid to Gaza. According to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), 70 aid trucks were transported into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday through the Zikim and Kerem Shalom crossings under the coordination of the IDF, the U.N., and humanitarian groups. However, the number of uncollected aid trucks exceeds 800, largely due to logistical issues in the Palestinian territories. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has reportedly offered to deliver the U.N.’s stockpiled aid for free, highlighting the inefficiency of current aid distribution systems. Israeli defense officials have also been instructed to significantly speed up the process of entering humanitarian aid into Gaza, focusing less on the risk of aid falling into Hamas’ hands. With negotiations stalled and military activity resuming in the region, Israeli officials are warning that the window for reaching a deal is narrowing. One source revealed that while the talks are not over, the time remaining to reach a resolution is urgently decreasing, putting continued pressure on all parties involved to find a solution.