
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas blamed each other on Wednesday for the failure to reach a ceasefire agreement, despite progress announced by both sides recently.
Hamas said Israel had imposed new conditions, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of returning to issues on which understanding had been reached previously.
"The occupiers have imposed new conditions regarding withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoners and the return of displaced persons, which has delayed the achievement of the agreement that was available," said officials from the militant group.
Hamas said, however, that it was showing flexibility and that the talks, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, were heading in the right direction.
But Mr. Netanyahu hit back in a statement saying that "the terrorist organization Hamas continues to lie. It is rejecting what was previously agreed upon and is continuing to create difficulties in the negotiations."
However, Israel will continue its relentless efforts to return the hostages, he added.
Israeli negotiators returned from Karat to Israel on Tuesday evening for consultations on a hostage deal after a significant week of talks, the prime minister's office said on Tuesday.
In the last two weeks, American and Arab mediators from countries such as Qatar and Egypt have stepped up efforts to reach an agreement.
The Gaza War was sparked by a surprise Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel. As a result, 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, in the Hamas-controlled region. Most of the population of 2.3 million has been displaced and much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble. /VOA