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Mediators say 'blame will lie fully with Hamas' should ceasefire deal talks fall apart

Senior Hamas officials in Doha are reportedly inclined to support the deal on the table, but no response has been received from Hamas's military leadership in Gaza, N12 noted.

Israel, the US, Qatar, and Egypt are still waiting for Hamas's response to the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal presented by mediators last week, with sources telling N12 that should an agreement not be reached, "the blame will lie fully with Hamas."

A senior American official told N12 that there have been times in past negotiations where Israel had been responsible for stalling an agreement, "but this time that is not the case."

According to the report, Israelis are working to reach a deal, while Hamas is stalling, and that "if there is no agreement this time, the blame will lie fully with Hamas."

The US, along with regional partners, believes that "the ball is now in Hamas's court," and that they must show flexibility to advance a deal.

Senior Hamas officials in Doha are reportedly inclined to support the deal on the table, but no response has been received from Hamas's military leadership in Gaza, N12 noted.

A source told N12 that Egyptian and Qatari mediators are pressing Hamas to respond "as soon as possible."

"Every day they delay the deal, more Palestinians die from hunger and Israeli airstrikes. We can't keep waiting for a few lousy Hamas operatives in Gaza to make up their mind. Who do they think they are? Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed just since they received the new proposal last week," another source told N12.

Israel reported to have made 'significant strides' in hostage deal efforts

On Friday, The Jerusalem Post learned that Israel had made "significant strides" in efforts to reach a hostage deal, but that Hamas was hindering the breakthrough, following 12 days of intensive negotiations in Doha, Qatar.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, an updated proposal was presented to both sides by the mediators, but talks remain tense and fraught with obstacles.

The official clarified that despite the difficulties, the Israeli delegation remains in Qatar. “It’s not a matter of optimism or pessimism,” the official said. “But we must be realistic about Hamas’s conduct.”

According to the official, Israel remains committed to exhausting all remaining avenues within the negotiation framework, though concerns about the process are growing: “We question Hamas’s seriousness. We are approaching a critical juncture. Hamas’s foot-dragging - even if it believes it serves its interests - may ultimately work against it.”