Gaza ceasefire talks 'ineffective' for weeks, Palestinian sources say

Gaza ceasefire talks have been "ineffective" for weeks, Palestinian sources have said, as hopes for an end to the war dissipate.

The sources familiar with the talks, who preferred to remain unnamed, said Qatari and Egyptian mediators, backed by the US, were attempting to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return to negotiations to find a way to end the war on Gaza and the release of Palestinian and Israeli captives.

It comes as negotiators from all sides accused Netanyahu of sabotaging the truce talks with new demands, most recently on a bid for Israel to retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

"Everyone has become convinced that Netanyahu does not want the negotiations to reach an agreement," the sources told The New Arab's Arabic sister service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Qatar and Egypt are therefore seeking to pressure the US administration to push Netanyahu to return to negotiations and fulfill the requirements for reaching a deal, the sources said.

"There is a real gap between what Hamas wants and what Netanyahu wants," the sources said, adding that this was impeding an agreement from being reached.

"Everyone notices changes in Netanyahu's position from one moment to the next."

Last Wednesday, Hamas's negotiating delegation, led by political official Khalil Al-Hayya, met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman Al-Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Doha to discuss the issue of the negotiations.

Sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed at the time that, contrary to Israeli media reports, Hamas "did not offer new concessions" but "expressed its readiness" to "study with seriousness and openness" anything new that comes from Israel.

Israel's war on Gaza, which began over 11 months ago, has so far killed at least 41,226 people, according to the Palestinian enclave's health ministry.

Hospitals, places of worship, and residential buildings have been attacked, and South Africa has accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top tribunal.

A Hamas-led 7 October attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, according to a tally by the AFP news agency based on official Israeli figures.

Militants also seized 251 captives, 97 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

Agencies contributed to this report.