Hamas and Israel blame each other for ceasefire delay

The Palestinian group Hamas and Israel traded blame on Wednesday over failure to conclude a ceasefire agreement despite progress reported by both sides in past days.

Hamas said that Israel had set new conditions, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of going back on understandings already reached.

"The occupation has set new conditions related to withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoners and the return of the displaced, which has delayed reaching the agreement that was available," Hamas said.

However, the group added that it was showing flexibility and that the talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, were going in a serious direction.

Netanyahu countered in a statement that Hamas "continues to lie, is reneging on understandings that have already been reached, and is continuing to create difficulties in the negotiations."

Israel will, however, continue relentless efforts to return hostages, he added.

Israeli negotiators returned to Israel from Qatar on Tuesday evening for consultations about a hostage deal after a significant week of talks, Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday.

The US and Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt have stepped up efforts to conclude a deal in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces kept up military pressure on the Palestinian enclave. Medics said Israeli military strikes killed at least 24 people across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

The war was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 45,200 Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-run enclave. Most of the population of 2.3 million has been displaced and much of Gaza is in ruins.