US quits Gaza truce talks, blaming Hamas for failure

JERUSALEM, July 26 ------ The United States joined Israel in pulling its negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks, with special envoy Steve Witkoff blaming Hamas for failing to reach a deal and saying Washington would "consider alternative options."

France meanwhile announced it would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, a move President Emmanuel Macron said can "contribute to the security of all in the Middle East." In Qatar, mediators have been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas delegations for more than two weeks in a bid to secure a breakthrough in indirect talks for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages after nearly two years of fighting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was still seeking a ceasefire despite recalling its negotiators from Doha, accusing Hamas of blocking an agreement. Pressure is mounting over the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, where the fighting has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings that "mass starvation" was spreading. After Hamas submitted its response to mediators on the latest ceasefire proposal, Netanyahu's office said Israeli negotiators were returning for consultations. "We are working to reach another deal for the release of our hostages," Netanyahu said. "But if Hamas interprets our willingness to reach a deal as a weakness, as an opportunity to dictate surrender terms that would endanger the State of Israel, it is gravely mistaken."

Witkoff accused Hamas of not "acting in good faith", and said the United States was bringing home its team. Hamas's response "clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza," Witkoff said on social media. Washington would now "consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza," he added.

A Palestinian source familiar with the talks said Hamas's response included proposed amendments to clauses on the entry of aid, maps of areas from which the Israeli army should withdraw, and guarantees on securing a permanent end to the war.

Source: manilatimes.net