Negotiations with Hamas reach “impasse,” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu pulls negotiators from Qatar
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called off hostage negotiation talks with Qatar, pulling his country’s negotiators from the discussions after reaching an “impasse” with Hamas.
The decision comes after negotiations previously resulted in a weeklong cease-fire that freed over 100 Hamas-held hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners. However, fighting resumed in the conflict on Friday, prompting the Biden administration, Arab allies, and some factions of the Israeli government to push for a longer pause to continue hostage releases.
“Hamas did not fulfil its part of the agreement, which included the release of all children and women according to a list that was forwarded to Hamas and approved by it,” the Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Israel on Thursday and Friday, blamed Hamas for the cease-fire deal falling through but also reiterated the need for the Israeli military to better consider Gaza civilians.
“The way Israel defends itself matters,” he said. “It’s imperative that Israel act in accordance with international humanitarian law and the laws of war, even when confronting a terrorist group that respects neither.”
Pressure has mounted on the Biden administration to back an indefinite cease-fire in the war, citing significant civilian casualty figures. Both the administration and the Israeli government have refused calls for a long-term pause.
The conflict has raged for nearly two months, killing over 13,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, and about 1,200 Israelis, challenging efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.
U.S. pressure on Israel has increasingly been focused on what post-war Gaza will look like, with the U.S. pushing for an independent Palestinian government and Israeli officials implying that there may be some form of military control.
As fighting continued, the Israeli military struck 400 targets in Gaza, including 50 in southern Gaza, where an estimated 2 million civilians shelter from the conflict.
The news of Netanyahu pulling Israeli negotiators from Qatar has raised concerns about the future of hostage releases and the ongoing conflicts in the region, as international efforts to broker peace continue.