US rejects 'impractical' Hamas demands as Gaza truce hangs in balance

Negotiations aimed at extending the Gaza ceasefire agreement have failed to reach a consensus, with a Palestinian official revealing to the BBC that the United States accused Hamas of making "completely unrealistic" demands during meetings in Qatar. This comes after the first phase of the temporary truce ended on March 1st, and negotiators from all parties have been striving to find a way forward.

The United States had proposed extending the first phase of the ceasefire agreement until mid-April, which included further exchanges of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations but wishing to remain anonymous stated that Israel and Hamas were divided on key aspects of the agreement during indirect negotiations mediated by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel is prepared to continue negotiations with Hamas regarding the extension of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. This statement was made after Netanyahu met with senior aides and security officials. His office said the decision was in response to what Israel had heard from mediators regarding a U.S. proposal to release 11 living Israeli hostages, as well as the remains of half of the deceased hostages.

The White House accused Hamas of making "completely unrealistic" demands in its response to Witkoff's proposal. The proposal aimed to extend the ceasefire agreement until April but postponed negotiations on permanently ending the war. Statements from Witkoff's office and the U.S. National Security Council said: "Hamas is making a very bad bet, thinking that time is on their side. That is not the case." The statement also added: "Hamas is very aware of the deadlines and should know that if the deadlines pass, we will respond accordingly."

According to a Hamas statement seen by the BBC, the negotiations have broken down. Netanyahu's office had earlier stated that Israel accepted the U.S. proposal. The Israeli side accused Hamas of "insisting on refusal, not budging an inch," and accused the group of engaging in "manipulation and psychological warfare."

Israel and Hamas reached a three-stage ceasefire agreement in January, following 15 months of war between the two sides. In the first stage, Hamas returned 25 living Israeli hostages, the remains of 8 deceased hostages, and 5 living Thai hostages. In exchange, Israel released approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The agreement stipulated that the second stage would include the exchange of more Palestinian prisoners for the remaining living hostages in Gaza.

Currently, the two sides disagree on the number of hostages to be released imminently. They also disagree on the issue of Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, which the initial agreement stipulated should happen now. Israel opposes this, while Hamas insists that it should occur. In early March, Israel blocked the delivery of aid supplies to Gaza and then cut off the electricity supply, stating that its aim was to put pressure on Hamas.

It is believed that Hamas is still holding up to 24 living hostages and the remains of 35 deceased hostages in Gaza. In a statement during continued indirect negotiations on Friday, the group said it was prepared to release the last known living Israeli-American hostage in its custody, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, who was serving as an Israeli soldier near Gaza when he was captured.

Under the terms of the initial ceasefire agreement, he was expected to be among the last hostages to be released. The group also said it would hand over the remains of four other dual nationals captured in the October 7, 2023, attacks. It did not provide further details or specify what it would demand in return. Witkoff dismissed the offer, saying Hamas was trying to appear flexible in public but was being unrealistic in private.

The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, most of whom were civilians, and the abduction of 251 people as hostages. The attack triggered an Israeli military offensive that, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry, has killed more than 48,520 people to date, most of whom were civilians. The United Nations and other agencies are using these figures.

The majority of Gaza's 2.1 million residents have been displaced multiple times. It is estimated that 70% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, healthcare, water, and sanitation systems have collapsed, and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.