Discussions regarding the continued release of hostages held in Gaza have hit a deadlock, sources familiar with the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
“Nothing is currently moving on this front,” they stated.
Sources predict that if Israel and Hamas fail to reach an agreement soon, Israel will resume military operations in Gaza in approximately ten days.
“Hamas is currently rejecting [US Middle East envoy Steve] Witkoff’s proposal, so it is very difficult to make progress,” one official remarked.
The Prime Minister’s Office outlined that Witkoff’s plan would involve the release of half of the living hostages and half of the deceased on the first day of a renewed agreement. The remainder of the hostages and bodies would be returned on the 42nd day, marking the final day of the ceasefire.
However, some sources have disputed claims that Hamas has outright rejected the proposal. “Hamas has neither accepted nor rejected the Witkoff proposal,” a source familiar with the talks clarified.
Another source noted that there are no plans for Witkoff to visit the region at this time, saying, “He will only come to finalize a deal. And since there is no real progress right now, it is unclear when or if he will arrive.”
Without a deal on the release of more hostages in the coming days, sources indicate that Israel is preparing to escalate its actions against Hamas. Following the decision on Sunday to halt humanitarian aid, Israel is preparing to cut off water and electricity to the Gaza Strip, as well as resume fighting as early as next week.
Officials believe that even without accepting Witkoff’s initiative, Hamas could agree to release additional hostages soon in exchange for the release of prisoners and the entry of humanitarian aid, but they emphasize that this is contingent on other unresolved issues.
“The Israeli government needs to decide what will be negotiated with Hamas and what they will receive in exchange for the release of hostages in the coming weeks,” a source explained. “Hamas’s agreement to release more hostages depends on the answers to these questions.”
Defense Minister Yisroel Katz addressed the situation on Monday, confirming that Israel had agreed to a mediator’s request for additional days of negotiations.
“If Hamas does not release the hostages soon, the gates of Gaza will be locked, and the gates of hell will be opened – we will return to fighting, and they will face the IDF with forces and methods they have never encountered before,” Katz warned.
On Monday, Hamas responded by accusing Israel of attempting to reset negotiations by asking to extend the first phase of their ceasefire agreement. “The occupation is pushing to return things to square one and overturn the agreement through the alternatives it is proposing,” said Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official.
{Matzav.com Israel}