Gaza Ceasefire Talks Suspended Over Complication with Israeli Troop Withdrawal

Ongoing indirect ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel have been suspended due to Israel's refusal to fully withdraw its troops from Gaza, two Palestinian sources involved in the discussions told a news agency on Saturday (July 12).

Representatives of both sides began discussions in Qatar last Sunday to reach a temporary end to the 21-month-long conflict. Both parties had indicated that a 60-day ceasefire deal would lead to the release of 10 living Israeli hostages captured on October 7, 2023.

However, a reliable Palestinian source stated that Israel's refusal to withdraw all its troops from Gaza is hindering progress in the talks. The source claimed, "The discussions in Doha have hit a major obstacle because the withdrawal map Israel has proposed is actually a map of troop redistribution and repositioning, not a genuine withdrawal."

Hamas has consistently demanded a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza from the beginning. However, the Palestinian source alleged that the map presented by the Israeli delegation in the talks proposes to maintain a military presence in more than 40 percent of the Gaza Strip.

The source further stated, "The Hamas delegation will not accept this Israeli map, as it effectively legitimizes the re-occupation of nearly half of the Gaza Strip and turns Gaza into isolated zones with no freedom of movement."

The mediators have requested both sides to suspend the talks, as U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to arrive in Doha. Another Palestinian source said there was "some progress" on the issues of releasing Palestinian prisoners and delivering more aid to Gaza. However, they complained that the Israeli delegation lacks the authority to make decisions and is obstructing and delaying the agreement to continue the war.