Efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas faced a significant setback as the United States announced Thursday it would withdraw its negotiators from Qatar, citing stalled progress in achieving a ceasefire. Steve Witkoff, former President Donald Trump’s special envoy leading the talks, declared the decision followed Hamas’ latest response, which he claimed displayed “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.” The move coincided with statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who emphasized his government’s continued pursuit of a deal while cautioning against perceptions of Israeli vulnerability.
Speaking at a state memorial ceremony for Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky, Netanyahu framed negotiations as a strategic necessity rather than a sign of weakness. “If Hamas believes our willingness to engage is an opening to dictate terms that threaten Israel’s security, they are making a grave error,” he said, invoking the legacy of Jabotinsky—a pivotal figure in Israel’s right-wing ideology and a collaborator with Netanyahu’s father on early Zionist advocacy in the U.S. Hours earlier, Netanyahu’s office recalled Israel’s own negotiating team from the Qatar-mediated talks, citing Hamas’ reply to the latest proposal. A terse government statement acknowledged efforts by Witkoff, Egypt, and Qatar but provided no additional details on next steps.
The diplomatic impasse unfolded as international alarm escalated over Gaza’s deteriorating humanitarian conditions. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned Wednesday that Israeli restrictions on aid access had triggered “man-made mass starvation,” with U.N. agencies and aid groups reporting famine-like conditions across the enclave. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 33 deaths from malnutrition within a 48-hour period last week, underscoring the acute crisis. Hospitals, already strained by months of conflict, face critical shortages of supplies, with reports of children succumbing to dehydration and hunger.
The escalating toll has intensified global calls for both sides to prioritize civilian lives. While Israel maintains its blockade is intended to prevent resources from reaching Hamas militants, aid workers describe bureaucratic delays and security checks as exacerbating the collapse of Gaza’s food and healthcare systems. Ceasefire talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt since late 2023, had aimed to secure a temporary halt to hostilities in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. However, recent demands from both parties—including disputes over the duration of a truce and the release of Palestinian prisoners—have deepened the stalemate.
As negotiators regroup, analysts warn that further delays risk entrenching Gaza’s humanitarian disaster. The U.N. estimates over 576,000 people in the territory now face “catastrophic” food insecurity, with aid deliveries at a fraction of pre-war levels. With regional tensions simmering and international pressure mounting, the paused talks underscore the fragile balance between strategic posturing and the urgent need to avert a deepening human catastrophe.
