Hamas officials leave Gaza truce talks without deal 

A Hamas delegation has left negotiations in Cairo without reaching a ceasefire agreement for Gaza. However, Hamas says that indirect talks with Israel are ongoing.

Initial hopes for a 40-day truce, timed to coincide with the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan next week, have not materialised. International pressure to secure a ceasefire has intensified amid growing concerns about a looming famine in the region.

Despite efforts by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, a deal has yet to be finalised. The proposed agreement involves Hamas releasing Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Israel’s absence from the talks in Cairo is due to its request for a list of surviving hostages before committing to negotiations. 

Hamas said Israel did not accept its demands for displaced Palestinians to be able to return to their homes nor a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gazan cities.

The conflict in Gaza started when Hamas fighters breached southern Israel on October 7th, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties and the seizure of 253 hostages, according to Israeli reports. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that over 30,800 people have been killed in Gaza since the onset of the war.