Gaza Truce Talks Stall Over Israeli Troop Withdrawal Dispute

AFP/APP

Doha: Ceasefire negotiations aimed at halting the war in Gaza have stalled amid sharp disagreements over the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources familiar with ongoing indirect talks in Qatar.

Mediators have been trying for a week to secure an agreement based on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. While talks continued on Saturday, progress appeared limited.

An Israeli official blamed the deadlock on Hamas, saying the group remained “stubborn,” holding to positions that “prevent the mediators from advancing an agreement.” Hamas, meanwhile, pointed to Israeli demands as the primary obstacle.

At the center of the impasse is the question of how far Israeli troops would withdraw under a truce. A Palestinian source said Hamas rejected proposed Israeli maps that would leave around 40% of Gaza — including the entire southern city of Rafah and parts of the north and east — under Israeli control.

According to two Israeli sources, Hamas has demanded a return to the military lines in place before Israel renewed its offensive in March.

The proposed deal also includes a phased release of Israeli hostages, troop withdrawals, and broader talks on ending the conflict.

But key sticking points remain: Hamas wants a full agreement to end the war before freeing the remaining hostages, while Israel insists it won’t stop fighting until all hostages are released and Hamas is dismantled as both a military and administrative force.

Tensions escalated further on Saturday after medics in Gaza reported that at least 17 people were killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to receive food aid near Rafah.

Eyewitnesses described targeted shooting, with victims hit in the head and chest. “The shooting was not random,” said Mahmoud Makram, one of the survivors. “People go because they are hungry, but they die and come back in body bags.”

The Israeli military said it fired only warning shots and claimed there was no evidence that its troops harmed civilians in the incident. But the United Nations human rights office reported that at least 798 people have been killed near food distribution sites over the past six weeks.

Since May, Israel has operated a controversial new aid delivery system using a US-backed group under the protection of Israeli forces. The UN has condemned the approach, calling it unsafe and a violation of humanitarian neutrality, but Israel argues it is necessary to prevent aid from being seized by militants.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, displaced over 2 million people, and left much of the territory devastated.

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, pressure on the Israeli government is mounting. On Saturday, thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv, demanding swift action to secure the release of remaining hostages.

“We’re here to push for a hostage deal now,” said protester Boaz Levi. “Our friends, our brothers, are still in Gaza. It’s time to end this war.”