There are “no dates yet” for Hamas negotiators to return to Cairo to resume talks over reaching a ceasefire in exchange for hostage releases, a member of the Hamas political bureau told CNN on Sunday.
“There is nothing new,” Hossam Badran told CNN, saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to respond to fair Palestinian demands regarding Gaza’s basic needs.
He listed “stopping the killing, withdrawal, providing relief and the return of the displaced people without conditions” as factors to be considered.
A Hamas delegation left Cairo on March 7 following days of talks without an obvious breakthrough.
Negotiators had hoped to have a draft agreement this week after the days of meetings in Cairo, “but it won’t happen,” said one diplomat familiar with the discussions who described the last few days of talks as “very hectic.”
Egypt state-run Al Qahera news, citing a senior source, said the delegation had left to consult on the proposals, adding negotiations would resume this week.
Israel has warned that if the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza aren’t home by Ramadan they will launch a military offensive into Rafah in southern Gaza where around 1.5 million Palestinians are trying to seek safety from the fighting.
