Israel pulls back truce delegation from Doha after talks reach ‘dead end,’ accuses Hamas of ‘sabotaging diplomacy’

After exhaustive deliberation with mediators, Israel has pulled back its delegation from Qatar after truce talks with Hamas reached a “dead end” owing to the Palestinian terrorist group’s “delusional” demands.

Israeli official, who is close to the Mossad spymaster heading up the talks, accused Hamas’ Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar of sabotaging the diplomacy “as part of a wider effort to inflame this war over Ramadan”.

The development comes after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a move that has irked Israel as the US’ decision to abstain from voting facilitated the passage of the resolution.

While Hamas has said that fighting would come to an end after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, Israel says it would eventually resume efforts to dismantle the governance and military capabilities of Hamas.

Hamas also wants thousands of Palestinians who were forced to flee Gaza City during the initial months of the war to be allowed back to northern Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel claims that it has agreed to double the number of Palestinian prisoners it would free in exchange for hostages still held captive in Gaza as well as allow some displaced Palestinians to return home.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday that Hamas had made “delusional” demands, which it said showed the Palestinians were not interested in a deal.

Meanwhile, Hamas on Tuesday, rejected the recently passed resolution seeking an “immediate” ceasefire in the war-torn region of Gaza, claiming that Israel is ignoring its core demand.

In a statement published on Monday, soon after the passage of the resolution, Hamas said that it had informed mediators about its plan to “stick to its original position” that was conveyed last month.

It accused Israel of not responding to “its core demands of a “comprehensive cease-fire, an (Israeli) withdrawal from the Strip, the return of displaced people and a real prisoner exchange.”