Hamas leaders on Sunday rejected a proposed cease-fire agreement hammered out in talks last week that had drawn optimism from U.S., Egypt and Qatar mediators suggesting a deal could be close,
USA Today reports.
"After being briefed by the mediators about what happened in the last round of talks in Doha, we once again came to the conclusion that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is still putting obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement," Hamas said in a statement. The statement accused Netanyahu of "setting new conditions and demands with the aim of undermining the mediators' efforts and prolonging the war."
The Biden administration is trying to bridge gaps between Israel and Hamas on control of border crossings, the number and identity of Israeli hostages and security prisoners that would be freed and future governance of the embattled enclave. On Friday, President Joe Biden said the parties were "closer than we've ever been" to an agreement.
Netanyahu has consistently demanded that the remnants of the battered Hamas militant group play no role in the future of Gaza, a demand often rejected by Hamas. Any movement by Netanyahu away from that stand would jeopardize his fragile alliance with Israel's far-right wing and could threaten his hold on the prime minister's office.
The Hamas statement said the new proposal reflects Netanyahu's conditions rejecting a permanent cease-fire and a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu also set new conditions in the prisoner exchange plan, the statement said.
Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu warned that Israel was standing firm on some of its demands. "We are negotiating, not giving and giving," Netanyahu said in a social media post.
