Israel and the United States on Thursday pulled their diplomats back from negotiating a cease-fire with Hamas, setting back a potential end to the War in Gaza that was believed to be a real possibility just weeks ago.
The Israeli and American delegates ended negotiations because Hamas is showing “a lack of desire to reach a cease-fire in Gaza,” Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy, told The New York Times. Witkoff added “we will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.”
Hamas still has 50 hostages stemming from its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. It is unclear how many of those hostages are still alive; there are two American hostages still in Gaza, according to the American Jewish Committee.
The breakdown in discussions came after there had been optimism that a deal could be reached, as President Trump had pushed to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a 60-day cease-fire in recent weeks. After weeks of stalling, Hamas submitted a proposal for a “Gaza truce” that Israel was reviewing as of Thursday, Reuters reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this month his aim is for there to be “no Hamas” left in Gaza, following the war.
Trump has prioritized bringing hostages home since re-entering the White House in January; several hostages have visited him since then, including 21-year-old Israeli-American Edan Alexander, who was held captive by Hamas for nearly 600 days. Alexander and his family visited the Oval Office earlier this month. Now, with the potential cease-fire scrapped, the Trump Administration will rethink its plan to free the remaining hostages.
In related news, French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said his country will recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly.
