Hamas ‘hardens’ stance in ceasefire talks as Netanyahu recalls negotiation team

Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization hit a setback Thursday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled Israel’s negotiating delegation from Doha following what officials described as a hardening of Hamas’ demands.

“In light of the response Hamas delivered this morning, it has been decided to recall the negotiating team for further consultations in Israel,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “We appreciate the efforts of the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, and the efforts of envoy Steve Witkoff to achieve a breakthrough in the talks.”

According to reports in Israeli media, the terror group is now demanding the release of 200 Palestinians serving life sentences for murdering Israelis, and an additional 2,000 Palestinians detained in Gaza after Oct. 7. That demand significantly exceeds the previous mediator-backed framework – reportedly accepted by Israel – which included the release of 125 life-term prisoners and 1,200 other detainees.

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Witkoff announced on X that his team is returning from Doha “for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.” 

He praised the mediators’ efforts but said, “Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.” Witkoff added, “We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” calling it “a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.”

“The return of the delegation is not a collapse or a crisis, but the gaps are significant and present across all core issues,” a senior Israeli official told Channel 12. Another official confirmed to U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff that Hamas’ updated prisoner exchange terms are “unacceptable.”

A joint statement by 25 countries condemning Israel’s conduct in Gaza may have further complicated already fragile ceasefire negotiations, Israeli officials suggested. In response to the condemnation, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharply worded statement, warning, “At these sensitive moments in the ongoing negotiations, it is better to avoid statements of this kind.

“Israel rejects the joint statement published by a group of countries, as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas.” The ministry added that “all statements and all claims should be directed at the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire: Hamas, which started this war and is prolonging it.” 

Hostage families expressed deep concern about the breakdown in negotiations. “The families are watching with concern as reports emerge about the negotiating team’s return,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. “Every day that passes endangers the hostages’ chances of recovery and the ability to locate the dead. Another missed opportunity to bring everyone home would be unforgivable – a moral, security, and diplomatic failure.”

The negotiations, which have dragged on for weeks, are part of a proposed U.S.-backed deal involving a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of some 50 remaining Israeli hostages, a phased release of Palestinian prisoners and expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Hamas is also demanding that Israeli troops withdraw to positions held before March 2, when the last ceasefire collapsed, and that the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopen in both directions. The group further opposes the newly established U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund, demanding that aid distribution return to the previous U.N.-supervised mechanism.

A Hamas official told Reuters the group is insisting on a return to a Jan. 19 protocol for aid entry, and that ceasefire negotiations must include a clause preventing Israel from resuming military operations after the 60-day truce – even if a broader deal is not reached.

At the center of the deadlock is the growing humanitarian crisis. The U.N. and international aid groups warn that hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza face severe food insecurity. It is claimed that civilians in the north have been forced to survive on animal feed and foraged plants, while chaotic aid distributions in the south have repeatedly turned deadly.

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In response to mounting pressure, Israel is visibly increasing the pace of aid deliveries. On Thursday, COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) reported that 70 aid trucks were transferred into Gaza on Wednesday through the Zikim and Kerem Shalom crossings. The shipments, primarily food, were delivered under IDF coordination with the U.N. and humanitarian organizations.

COGAT said more than 150 trucks were collected inside Gaza, but warned that over 800 trucks remain uncollected at the crossings due to logistical breakdowns on the Palestinian side.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) stated on X that it offered on Wednesday to deliver the U.N.’s tons of aid sitting in Gaza for free. John Acree, GHF’s interim director, said, “We’ve seen aid by the U.N. and other organization(s) being piled near the borders but not being delivered.”

Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal reported Thursday that senior defense officials say they’ve been instructed by the political echelon to “greatly speed up the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza” and to “be less concerned with precautions or plans to keep it out of Hamas’ hands.”

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As talks stall and military activity resumes, Israeli officials warn that the window for a deal may be closing. “There are still significant gaps,” one source told Channel 12. “The negotiations are not over – but time is running out.”