Cairo talks collapse as Israel rejects main Hamas demands
Hamas remains insistent on an end to the war, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and unimpeded aid access
The Hamas delegation visiting Egypt for truce talks departed Cairo on 7 March, with the resistance group saying Israel has been “thwarting” attempts at reaching an agreement.
“The Hamas delegation left Cairo today to consult with the movement’s leadership,” Hamas said in a statement on Thursday, adding that “negotiations and efforts will continue to stop the aggression, return the displaced, and bring relief aid to our Palestinian people.”
A senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, told Reuters that Israel is “thwarting” attempts to reach an agreement by rejecting the group’s main terms: an end to the war, a withdrawal of troops from Gaza, and a guarantee of unimpeded aid access.
Egyptian officials told AP on Thursday that truce talks have reached a stalemate due to Hamas’ demand for an end to the war. They said Hamas has agreed to the main terms of a proposed deal but is demanding guarantees that the efforts will lead to a more permanent ceasefire.
An official source in Egypt told Egyptian media that truce talks will resume next week.
Israel is reportedly “staying away” from Cairo talks due to Hamas’ refusal to provide a list of the names of Israeli prisoners who are still alive, according to Reuters. Hamas has said this would be difficult as the prisoners are scattered across the strip.
“The occupation wants us to release the prisoners without anything in return, and this is impossible. Negotiations are worthless if they do not achieve the demands and interests of our people,” Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi told Palestine Today on 7 March.
“The occupation prioritizes its prisoners' issue; meanwhile, it rejects the resistance's conditions. If offers come aligned with our people's interests, we do not close the door on them. If the Israeli position remains as it is, the negotiations will not succeed. The resistance's stance is clear; if our people's interests and demands are met, the occupation's prisoners will be released,” Mardawi added.
Mardawi had said a day earlier, on 6 March, in an interview with Quds News Network (QNN) that Israel had not even demanded a list of prisoner names, accusing it of “spreading lies.”
He added that recent negotiations are not based on the latest talks in Paris, but rather on “new papers.”
“There are five main conditions for any agreement: a ceasefire, withdrawal, the return of the displaced, lifting the siege, relief for citizens, and an honorable exchange deal,” Mardawi added.