From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Israel pulls negotiating team from Doha, says Hamas uninterested in talks
Israel is recalling its negotiating team from Qatar after Hamas rejected its latest offer in talks for a hostage deal and truce, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says Hamas’s decision to reject a US-brokered compromise is “clear proof it is not interested in continuing talks, and a sad testament to the damage caused by the UN Security Council resolution,” referring to a call for a ceasefire passed last night.
The PMO accuses Hamas of retreating to its “extreme demands” including a complete end to the war and full IDF withdrawal from Gaza.
“Israel will not cave to Hamas’s delusional demands,” it adds.
A diplomatic official quoted by Hebrew-language media says Hamas demanded that Gazans be given carte blanche to return to the north of the Strip and did not even address a hostage release.
“There is no one to talk to on the other side and the Israeli negotiating team has nothing to do in Qatar,” the source is quoted saying.
