Middle East
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Israel, US appear to give up on talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was considering “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with Hamas after Israel and the United States recalled their negotiating teams, throwing the future of the negotiations into further uncertainty.
Netanyahu’s statement came as a Hamas official said negotiations were expected to resume next week and portrayed the recall of the Israeli and American delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the talks alongside the United States, said the pause was only temporary and that talks would resume, though they did not say when.
The teams left Qatar as President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Hamas’ latest response to proposals for a deal showed a “lack of desire” to reach a truce. Witkoff said the United States will look at “alternative options,“ without elaborating.
Reuters