US rejects 'impractical' Hamas demands as Gaza truce hangs in balance

In Gaza, the situation has become dire as more than 90% of homes have been either destroyed or damaged, according to reports from the United Nations. An elderly Palestinian man was seen walking past a building that had been reduced to rubble in Gaza City. Recently, talks aimed at extending the ceasefire in Gaza have failed to produce any agreement, as a Palestinian official informed the BBC. The United States has accused Hamas of making demands that are 'entirely impractical' during discussions held in Qatar. Negotiators have been working hard to find a solution after the first phase of the temporary truce came to an end on March 1. The US proposed extending the ceasefire until mid-April, which would include further exchanges of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, a Palestinian official, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that there were disagreements between Israel and Hamas regarding key aspects of the deal proposed by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff during the indirect talks. On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that Israel was willing to continue negotiations with Hamas regarding the extension of the ceasefire in Gaza. This statement followed a meeting between Netanyahu and his top aides and security officials. The office indicated that this decision was influenced by what Israel had heard from mediators concerning US proposals for the release of 11 living Israeli hostages and the remains of half of the deceased hostages. The White House has criticized Hamas for making 'entirely impractical' demands in response to Witkoff's proposal. The proposal would extend the ceasefire into April but would delay negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict. A statement from Witkoff's office and the US National Security Council on Friday declared, 'Hamas is making a very bad bet that time is on its side. It is not. ' They further stated, 'Hamas is well aware of the deadline and should know that we will respond accordingly if that deadline passes. ' A statement from Hamas, which was seen by the BBC, indicated that negotiations had broken down. Netanyahu's office had previously stated that Israel accepted the US proposal, but they claimed that Hamas remained 'firm in its refusal and has not budged a millimetre,' accusing the group of 'manipulation and psychological warfare. ' Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire in January after 15 months of conflict. In the first stage of the agreement, Hamas returned 25 living Israeli hostages, the remains of eight others, and five living Thai hostages. In exchange, Israel released approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The deal stipulates that the next stage will involve the remaining living hostages in Gaza being exchanged for more Palestinian prisoners. However, both sides currently disagree on the number of hostages that should be released next. They also disagree on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, which the original deal stated should have already occurred. Israel is resistant to this point, while Hamas insists that it should happen. Earlier in March, Israel cut electricity to Gaza, and it is believed that Hamas is still holding up to 24 living hostages in Gaza, along with the remains of 35 others. As indirect talks continued on Friday, Hamas announced that it was ready to release the last living Israeli-American hostage it is known to be holding. Edan Alexander, 21, was serving as an Israeli soldier near Gaza when he was captured. Under the terms of the original ceasefire agreement, it was expected that he would be among the last hostages to be released. The group also stated that it would hand over the remains of four other dual nationals who were captured during the attacks on October 7, 2023. However, they did not provide further details or clarify what they would demand in return. Witkoff dismissed the offer, stating that Hamas was attempting to appear flexible in public while being impractical in private. The attacks led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, primarily civilians, with 251 individuals taken hostage. This assault triggered an Israeli military offensive that has since claimed the lives of more than 48,520 people, most of whom are civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which are also used by the UN and other organizations. The majority of Gaza's 2. 1 million population has been displaced multiple times. An estimated number of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and the healthcare, water, and sanitation systems have collapsed, leading to shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.