The US rejects Hamas’s “impractical” requirements as the Gaza Carison hangs in balance

Talks to extend the cessation of Gaza’s fire failed to reach an agreement, said a Palestinian BBC employee, as the United States accused Hamas of making “completely impractical” requests to meetings in Qatar.

Negotiators are trying to find a way forward after the first phase of a temporary truce ended on March 1.

The US has suggested that the first phase be extended until mid-April, including further exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

But the unnamed Palestinian officer said that Israel and Hamas disagree with the key aspects of the deal determined by the US envoy of the Middle East Steve Vikof in indirect negotiations.

Israel is yet to comment, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet said he would receive a report from Israel’s negotiating team later on Saturday.

The White House accused Hamas of making “all -impractical” demands in his response to Vitcof’s proposal.

This will prolong the cessation of the fire until April, but will delay the negotiation of the constant end of the war.

A statement by the service of Vitcof and the US National Security Council on Friday said: “Hamas makes a very bad bet that time is on his side. It is not.”

“Hamas is well acquainted with the deadline and should know that we will respond accordingly if this period passes.”

Hamas’s statement, seen by the BBC, says the negotiations have fallen apart.

Netanyahu’s service earlier said Israel accepted the US proposal.

It says that Hamas remains “firm in his refusal and has not caught up a millimeter,” accusing the group of Manipulation and Psychological War.

Israel and Hamas agreed A fire termination transaction involving three stages In January, after 15 months of war.

In the first stage, Hamas returned 25 living Israeli hostages, the remains of eight other and five living Thai hostages. Israel released about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners in return.

The deal says that the second stage will include the other living hostages in Gaza, exchanged for more Palestinian prisoners.

But both parties at present do not agree with the number of hostages to be released afterwards.

They also disagree about the withdrawal of the Israeli Gaza troops, which the initial transaction states that it should be happening so far.

Israel resists this point as Hamas insists that this should happen.

Israel has stopped all the aid and electricity of gas, including food and fuel, Saying that it aims to put pressure on Hamas.

Hamas is thought to still hold up to 24 living hostages in Gaza and the remains of 35 others.

As the indirect negotiations continued on Friday, the group said in a statement that he was ready to release the last living Israeli-American hostage, who is known to have.

Nedan Alexander at 21 serves as an Israeli soldier near Gaza when he was taken.

Under the terms of the original fire termination agreement, it was expected to be among the last hostages to be released.

The group also said it would hand over the remains of four other double citizens captured during the attacks on October 7, 2023.

This did not give more details or did not explain what it would require in return.

Witkoff has rejected the offer, saying that Hamas is trying to look flexible in public, while being impractical alone.

The Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 killed over 1,200 people in southern Israel, mainly civilians, with 251 hostages taken.

The attack caused an Israeli military offensive, which has since killed more than 48,520 people, most of them civilians, according to figures of the health ministry, run by Hamas, which are used by the UN and others.

The bigger part of the 2.1 million Gaza population has been displaced many times.

Forecast 70% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, health, water and sanitary systems have collapsed and there is a shortage of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.

Additional reporting by Emir Nader.