CAIRO (Multibagger) -Hamas said on Sunday that it rejects new Israeli conditions put forward in Gaza ceasefire talks, casting further doubt on the chances of a breakthrough in the latest U.S.-backed effort to end the 10-month-old war.
Months of on-off talks have failed to produce an agreement to end Israel's devastating military campaign in Gaza or free the remaining hostages seized by Hamas in the militant group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.
Key sticking points in ongoing talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar include an Israeli presence in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow 14.5 km-long (nine-mile) stretch of land along Gaza's southern border with Egypt.
Hamas said Israel has backtracked on a commitment to withdraw troops from the Corridor and put forward other new conditions, including the screening of displaced Palestinians as they return to the enclave's more heavily populated north when the ceasefire begins.
"We will not accept discussions about retractions from what we agreed to on July 2 or new conditions," Hamas official Osama Hamdan told the group's Al-Aqsa TV on Sunday.
In July, Hamas accepted a U.S. proposal to begin talks on releasing Israeli hostages, including soldiers and men, 16 days after the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war, a senior Hamas source has told Multibagger.
Hamdan also said Hamas has handed to mediators its response to the latest proposal, saying U.S. talk of an imminent deal is false.
**Analysis:**
In this article, Hamas has rejected new Israeli conditions in Gaza ceasefire talks, which has raised doubts about the success of the latest U.S.-backed efforts to end the 10-month-old war. The key points of contention include the Israeli presence in the Philadelphi Corridor and the screening of displaced Palestinians. This ongoing conflict has significant implications for the Middle East region and international relations, as well as potential economic impacts on global markets. Investors should monitor the situation closely for any developments that could affect geopolitical stability and financial markets.