Israel-Hamas cease-fire unlikely before Ramadan as Hamas delegation leaves talks, but says they'll resume
Cairo — Hamas said Thursday that its delegation had left Cairo and that talks on a Gaza cease-fire and hostage release would resume next week, making it extremely unlikely that mediators will broker a deal before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. President Biden had voiced hope, and urged both parties to strike a deal to halt the Israel-Hamas war before Ramadan begins, which is expected on Sunday evening.
Egyptian officials said earlier that the negotiations had reached an impasse over Hamas' demand for a phased process culminating in an end to the war. But they did not rule out a deal before Ramadan, which is has emerged as an informal deadline.
Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha said Israel "refuses to commit to and give guarantees regarding the cease-fire, the return of the displaced, and withdrawal from the areas of its incursion." But he said the talks were ongoing and would resume next week. There was no immediate comment from Israel.
The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been trying for weeks to broker an agreement on a six-week cease-fire and the release of 40 of the hostages still believed to be held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
A U.S. official told CBS News on March 2 that there was "a deal on the table" for a six-week cease-fire that would see Hamas release hostages considered vulnerable, which includes the sick, wounded, and some elderly and women hostages.
"There's a framework deal," the official said. "The Israelis have more or less accepted it. And there will be a six week cease-fire in Gaza starting today — if Hamas agrees to release" the hostages, the official said.
The following day, in some of the Biden administration's strongest language to date, Vice President Kamala Harris labelled the situation in Gaza a "humanitarian catastrophe" and said there "must be an immediate cease-fire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table."
The Egyptian officials said Hamas had agreed on the main terms of such an agreement as a first stage, but that it wants commitments that it will lead to an eventual, more permanent cease-fire.
Hamas has said it will not release all of the remaining hostages without a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory. Palestinian militants are believed to be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of 30 others, captured during Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attack on southern Israel, which triggered the war.
Hamas is also demanding the release of a large number of prisoners, including top militants serving life sentences, in exchange for the remaining hostages.
Israel has publicly ruled out those demands, saying it intends to resume the offensive after any cease-fire with the goal of destroying Hamas.
The Egyptian officials say Israel wants to confine the negotiations to the more limited agreement. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with media. Both officials said mediators are still pressing the two parties to soften their positions.
Ramadan, the month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, often sees Israeli-Palestinian tensions rise over access to a major holy site in Jerusalem. It is expected to begin on Sunday evening, but the start of the lunar month depends on the sighting of the moon.