US deflected “impractical” Hamas requires when gas truce hangs in balance

Talks about the expansion of the ceasefire in the gas could not reach the agreement, the Palestinian official told the BBC when the US accused Hamas in fulfilling “fully impractical” requirements at the Qatar.

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

The US proposed to extend the first stage to mid -April, including the further exchange of hostages conducted by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

But the unnamed Palestinian official stated that Israel and Hamas disagreed about the key aspects of the transaction set out by the US Messenger in the Middle East Steve Witco on indirect negotiations.

Israel is not yet commented on, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he would receive a report from Israel’s talks later on Saturday.

The White House accused Hamas of “completely impractical” in response to Vitco’s proposal.

This will expand the ceasefire on April, but delays negotiations on the permanent end of the war.

A statement by the Witkoff office and the US National Security Council on Friday states: “Hamas makes a very bad bet that time is on its side. That’s wrong.”

“Hamas knows the term well, and we must know what we will answer if the term will pass.”

The Hamas BBC statement said the negotiations were defeated.

Earlier, Netanyahu’s office stated that Israel had accepted the US proposal.

It states that Hamas remained “firm in the refusal and did not press a millimeter”, accusing the group of “manipulation and psychological war”.

Israel and Hamas agreed A transaction in the area of ​​ceasefire involving three stages In January, after 15 months of the war.

In the first stage, Hamas returned 25 living Israeli hostages, the remains of eight others and five living hostages. Israel released about 1800 Palestinian prisoners in return.

The transactions state that the second stage will include the rest of the live hostages in gas exchanges for more Palestinian prisoners.

But both sides currently disagree with the number of hostages that should be released further.

They also disagree with the abolition of Israeli troops from Gaza, which are still the initial transaction.

Israel resists this point, while Hamas insists that it should happen.

Israel stopped all help and electricity in gas, including food and fuel, Saying he is aimed at putting pressure on Hamas.

It is believed that Hamas still holds up to 24 live hostages in gas and 35 remains.

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

21 Edon Alexander held the position of an Israeli soldier, near Gaza when he was taken away.

According to the terms of the initial ceasefire agreement, it was expected to be one of the last hostages to be released.

The group also stated that as a result of the attacks on October 7, 2023, the remains of four other double citizens would be transferred.

This did not provide more information and did not specify what it requires in return.

Vitkofi rejected the proposal, saying that Hamas tried to look flexible in public, at the same time impractical in private.

The attacks led by Hamas on October 7, 2023 killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, with 251 hostage.

The attack has caused an Israeli military offensive that has since died more than 48,520, most of whom, according to the Ministry of Health Hamas using the UN and others.

Most of the 2.1 million gas population has been supplanted several times.

Estimated 70% of buildings were damaged or destroyed, health care systems, water and sanitation have fallen apart, and there is a lack of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.