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U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said mediators had made great efforts but “Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.” He 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,” writing on X.
Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure to reach an agreement following almost two years of war. The humanitarian situation inside Gaza is deteriorating rapidly, with dozens of people starving to death in recent weeks due to widespread hunger, according to local health authorities. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for urgent aid delivery, saying the situation was an “unspeakable and indefensible” humanitarian catastrophe.
Israeli officials stated that Hamas’ response to the latest ceasefire proposal does not allow progress without a concession from the group. However, Israel intends to continue discussions. A senior Hamas official told Reuters there is still a chance of reaching a deal but it would take a few days because of Israeli stalling. Earlier in the day, a senior Israeli official had been quoted as saying the new text was something Israel could work with.
Despite these developments, gaps remained between the two sides, including where the Israeli military should withdraw during any truce. Witkoff’s team did not immediately respond to questions about Hamas demands that led to their withdrawal of U.S. negotiators. The Hostages Families Forum expressed concern at the recall of the Israeli team, saying each day endangers hostages’ recovery chances and risks losing the ability to locate them.
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Amid these tensions, an explosion in Gaza was seen from the Israeli side of the border on July 24, 2025. Women going to pick up aid reported being fired upon with tear gas and pepper spray by U.S. contractors organizing distribution. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-and Israeli-backed organization that began distributing food packages in May, faced criticism from the U.N. rights office for its model, which it denies is unsafe or a breach of humanitarian impartiality standards.
The war began when Hamas killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in October attacks on Israel. Since then, Israel has reportedly killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza according to local health authorities.
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According to Steve Witkoff, what is Hamas' stance in the current negotiations?
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