Israeli official says no collapse in talks, but Hamas must shift stance to advance

The return of Israel’s negotiating team from Qatar is not an indication that there is a crisis in talks, says a senior Israeli official.

There was “no explosion, no collapse,” the official tells Israeli reporters in a phone briefing.

At the same time, the current situation is evidence of Hamas’s “rejectionist and unfortunate approach.”

The terror group’s answer, received by mediators at 2:30 a.m., “does not allow progress without a shift in Hamas’s positions and without consulting on ways to do this both with the mediator and with ourselves,” says the official.

There are still gaps between the sides in all the topics, though “progress has been made” in the 18 days of talks in Doha, the official says.

“We reached the stage where we actually need to return, and we will return here as soon as the right way is found to reduce the gaps and reach the closing stage,” says the official.

Hamas has not offered any compromise of the demilitarization of Gaza or the end of the war, says the official, adding that there were “difficulties” around the a potential release of Palestinian prisoners. A source earlier told The Times of Israel that the group had suggested 200 security prisoner for 10 hostages, angering Israel, though it was only an opening bid.

The sides did not discuss guarantees about ending the war, a key Hamas demand, or the technical arrangements around the implementation of a deal. “We can arrive at this quickly,” says the official.

Still, Israel is under the assumption that Hamas wants an agreement, the official says.

Israeli negotiators held a follow-up meeting with the mediators in Doha on Thursday evening after being called home, and plan to continue contacts with mediators after returning to Israel.

The official says the team will continue to work “from the moment it lands and there is reception.”

“We will enter into the Sabbath and continue to work, and we operate continuously to conduct all the required consultations in Israel, formulate positions, and in parallel continue with the mediators and try to bring to a situation where we can return to close an agreement and quickly,” he says.

The official praises Egypt and Qatar, “who showed a proactive approach, activity, and very, very significant efforts throughout all these 18 days.”

The official says there is still reason for cautious optimism: “We are in proximity talks, there is a Hamas delegation here, there is an Egyptian delegation here that has been here all this time and has not moved until now. Of course, the sides here have American involvement, and we are here with a team that came here to achieve an agreement.”

“So that is regarding optimism. I am realistic, and I still think we can continue to operate to reduce the gaps and bring about an agreement,” says the official.