Talks resumed in Cairo on Saturday on ways to achieve a truce in the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, against a backdrop of mutual accusations by the warring parties of obstructing any agreement.

Talks resumed in Egypt Saturday aimed at halting months of war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel that have triggered protests around the world.

Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States sat down with a Hamas delegation to hear the militant group’s response to a proposal that would halt fighting for 40 days and exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners, according to details released by Britain.

Shortly before 9 pm (1800 GMT), a senior Hamas source close to the negotiations told AFP the talks had ended for the day and would resume on Sunday.

Israeli Official Attacks Hamas

A top Israeli official said on Saturday that Hamas’ continued demand for a lasting ceasefire in the war in Gaza was stymieing prospects of reaching a truce.

“So far, Hamas has not given up its demand to end the war, thus thwarting the possibility of reaching an agreement,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The official rejected reports that Israel had agreed to end the war as part of a deal to free the hostages held by Gaza militants.

The official said the suggestions that Israel was prepared to allow mediators to provide Hamas with that guarantee that the war would end were also not “accurate.”

The official’s comments came after Hamas negotiators returned to Egypt on Saturday to give their response to a proposed pause in the nearly seven-month war.

Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been waiting for Hamas to respond to a proposal that would halt fighting for 40 days and exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, according to details released by Britain.

Despite months of shuttle diplomacy between the warring parties, the mediators have been unable to broker a new truce like the week-long ceasefire that saw 105 hostages released last November, the Israelis among them in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel.

Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv late Saturday, demanding a deal to free the remaining hostages. They waved Israeli flags and placards calling on the government to “bring them home!”

Israel says 128 hostages remain in Gaza. The Army says 35 of them are presumed dead.

Hamas Blames Netanyahu

On Saturday, shortly before 9 PM (18:00 GMT), a senior Hamas source close to the negotiations in Cairo told AFP there had been “no developments” and the day’s talks “have ended.”

“Tomorrow, a new round will begin,” the source said.

Earlier, the Israeli official had said Israel would not send a negotiating team to Cairo until it saw “positive movement” on the framework for a hostage deal.

“What we are looking at is an agreement over a framework for a possible hostage deal,” the official said.

“Tough and long negotiations are expected for an actual deal.”

Hamas has said the main stumbling block is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on sending ground troops into Rafah, the southern Gaza city that is packed with displaced civilians.

The spokesman for the Palestinian Islamist movement, Osama Hamdan, said in particular that he was continuing “to talk about the main issues, namely the complete ceasefire and the complete withdrawal [of Israel] from Gaza,” according to Al Jazeera. “We hope to find positive answers today,” he added.

“Unfortunately, Netanyahu has clearly stated that, regardless of any ceasefire, he will continue the attack on Rafah, which means there will be no ceasefire,” Hamdan said.

Washington has said repeatedly that it opposes any military operation in Rafah that endangers the 1.2 million civilians sheltering there.

With AFP