Hamas says ceasefire talks expected to resume next week after U.S. and Israel recall negotiators

CAIRO Egypt AP Ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel are expected to resume next week a Hamas official stated Friday as Israeli strikes continue across Gaza and experts warn Palestinians are on the brink of famine Hamas official Bassem Naim noted on Friday that he was advised an Israeli delegation would depart for consultations early next week Previous talks had been held in Qatar His comments come a day after the United States recalled its negotiating unit from Qatar and after President Donald Trump s special envoy Steve Witkoff declared Hamas latest response to the negotiations displayed a lack of desire to reach a truce Witkoff commented the U S will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable atmosphere for the people of Gaza He did not elaborate on what those options might be Earlier on Thursday Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu s office also recalled his negotiating company in light of Hamas response In a brief announcement Netanyahu s office expressed appreciation for the efforts of Witkoff and the other mediators Qatar and Egypt but gave no further details A breakthrough on a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has eluded the Trump administration as humanitarian conditions worsen in Gaza Israel has come under mounting pressure for the catastrophic humanitarian problem in Gaza and reports of people dying from causes related to malnutrition In newest days more then two dozen Western-aligned countries and more than charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war harshly criticizing Israel s blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out The charities and rights groups reported even their own staff were struggling to get enough food On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that France would recognize Palestine as a state saying The urgent thing nowadays is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved Hamas revealed that Witkoff s remarks were meant to pressure the group for Netanyahu s benefit during the next round of talks and that in new days negotiations had made progress Naim stated several gaps had been nearly solved such as the agenda of the ceasefire guarantees to continue negotiating to reach a permanent agreement and how humanitarian aid would be delivered Israel s authorities didn t right away respond to whether negotiations would resume next week The sides have held weeks of talks in Qatar reporting small signs of progress but no major breakthroughs Representatives have noted a main sticking point is the redeployment of Israeli troops after any ceasefire takes place The deal under discussion is expected to include an initial -day ceasefire in which Hamas would release living hostages and the remains of others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting ceasefire The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war Israel says it will not agree to end the conflict until Hamas gives up power and disarms The militant group says it is prepared to leave power but not surrender its weapons Hamas is assumed to be holding the hostages in different locations including tunnels and says it has ordered its guards to kill them if Israeli forces approach A few hostages remain in Gaza but fewer than half are maintained to be alive Their families say the start-stop talks are excruciating I thought that maybe something will come from the time that the negotiation Israeli crew were in Doha announced Yehuda Cohen whose son Nimrod is being held hostage And when I heard that they re coming back I ask myself When will this nightmare end Meanwhile Israeli strikes continued across Gaza At least people were killed since Thursday night according to hospital records at Nasser Hospital where the bodies arrived Selected were killed in strikes others and others were killed while seeking aid reported the hospital