American emissary Steve Witkoff acted on Thursday the failure of the talks conducted in Doha for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, questioning the good faith of Hamas.
At the same time, Israel announced the recall of its negotiators for consultation. “We are acting to obtain a new agreement to release our hostages,” said Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, however, despite the withdrawal of his team.
In a statement, Mr. Witkoff also announced the withdrawal of the American team “for consultation after the last response of Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of will to reach a cease-fire in Gaza”.
“Although the mediators have made considerable efforts, Hamas does not seem to act in a coordinated manner or in good faith,” he said, stressing that the United States and their partners were “now considering other options to bring the hostages to them and try to create a more stable environment for the Gaza population”.
The hostages were removed during the unprecedented attack in Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war.
“Emergency interview”
Like the American emissary, Mr. Netanyahu justified the Israeli withdrawal by the response transmitted by Hamas.
The Palestinian Islamist movement announced the day before having responded to a 60 -day truce proposal in the Gaza Strip, with an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
“We act to obtain a new agreement to release our hostages. But if Hamas considers our intention to achieve it as a weakness, as an opportunity to impose on us surrender conditions which would endanger the state of Israel, he was heavy heavily, “warned Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Israeli bombings continue in Gaza, where at least 40 people were killed on Thursday, according to the local civil defense.
And international pressure continues to grow to end the war and the sufferings of more than two million Gaza Palestinians subject to a blockade, which deprives them of vital humanitarian aid.
In this context, an “emergency interview” between Paris, London and Berlin will be held on the situation in Gaza on Friday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday, who reaffirmed the “inalienable law of the Palestinian people” to a state.
The hostage families forum, the main association of relatives of the captives selected in Gaza, expressed its “great concern” after the recall of the Israeli negotiators, believing that “every passing day reduces the chances of saving hostages”.
The indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, opened in Doha on July 6 under Qatari, American and Egyptian mediation, have so far led to any concrete result.
According to a Palestinian source, Hamas’ response includes amendments offered to the clauses on the entry of humanitarian aid, cards from the Gaza areas from which the Israeli army should withdraw, as well as guarantees on the end of the war. Israel refuses to give guarantees on a permanent ceasefire.
“Children fall”
At the beginning of March, Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza, very partially relaxed at the end of May, causing serious shortages of food, medicines and fuel.
Youssef Hassouna, AFP video journalist living in Gaza-Ville, says that “it is extremely difficult to get food” and water for him and his family.
“Children fall while walking for lack of food,” says another AFP videographer, Salma al-Qaddoumi, referring to her three nephews aged 4 to 12.
AFP, AP and Reuters press agencies, as well as the BBC, called Israel to “authorize the entry and exit of journalists in Gaza”, saying “deeply worried that hunger threatens their survival”.
People “starve”
According to the boss of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a “large proportion” of the population in Gaza “dies of hunger”.
“There is no famine caused by Israel,” said the Israeli government, accusing Hamas to prevent the distribution of aid and loot it. Hamas rejects these accusations.
On Thursday, the Israeli authorities said that around 70 aid trucks had been unloaded the day before the crossing points and that more than 150 “had already been recovered by the UN and international organizations in Gaza”.
Humanitarian agencies point out that the authorizations granted by Israel are limited and that coordination to transport trucks is a major challenge in the war zone.
The October 7 attack led to the Israeli side the death of 1219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count made from official data. Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 49 remain hostage in Gaza, 27 of which were declared dead by the army.
Israeli reprisals left 59,587 dead in Gaza, mainly civilians, according to data from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, deemed reliable by the UN.
