Qatar talks end in deadlock as Israel; Hamas refuse to back down from hardened positions

Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have once again ended in deadlock, with both sides refusing to budge from entrenched positions despite growing international pressure and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

A Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations confirmed that the latest round of indirect discussions, held in Qatar’s capital Doha, concluded without a breakthrough. The session lasted nearly three and a half hours, conducted in two separate buildings with Qatari and Egyptian mediators shuttling messages between the delegations. Despite their efforts, no tangible progress was made.

Talks are set to resume on Monday, with mediators hoping individual meetings with both parties might help narrow the gaps. But for now, the impasse persists.

The Israeli delegation reportedly arrived in Doha without the authority to finalise any agreement. Two Palestinian officials told Reuters that Israel’s team had “no real powers” to negotiate, casting further doubt over the seriousness of their engagement.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington, where he is due to meet US President Donald Trump on Monday. Netanyahu expressed hope that the meeting could aid ceasefire efforts and the release of hostages still held in Gaza. He said he had issued clear instructions to his negotiating team to reach a deal within the parameters Israel has previously accepted.

Hamas, for its part, claims to have responded “positively” to the latest proposal. However, it continues to demand an end to all hostilities and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza—conditions Israel has repeatedly rejected.

Embed from Getty ImagesAs the diplomatic carousel spins once more, the question looms: can this moment yield real movement, or will it become another grim chapter in a cycle of talks, tension, and tragedy? For Gaza’s civilians and the Israeli hostages’ families, the stakes could not be higher. But for now, peace remains agonisingly out of reach.

Speaking before boarding his flight to the US, Netanyahu doubled down on his hardline stance, reiterating his three core objectives: the return of all hostages, the destruction of Hamas, and ensuring Gaza can no longer threaten Israel.

This rigidity has put the burden squarely on Qatari and Egyptian mediators, who must now navigate two deeply opposed positions that have stalled every ceasefire effort since the last truce collapsed in March.

Since then, Israel has resumed its military campaign with unrelenting force. Over the past 24 hours alone, the Israeli Defence Forces claim to have struck 130 Hamas targets, killing several militants. However, the cost in civilian lives continues to soar. Gaza hospital officials say more than 30 people were killed on Sunday alone.

Israel’s months-long blockade on humanitarian aid, partially eased only a few weeks ago, has worsened living conditions in the besieged enclave. With over 57,000 deaths reported by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry since October 2023, the pressure to end the war has reached boiling point.

Back in Israel, public outcry is intensifying. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets on Saturday, urging Netanyahu to make a deal to save the remaining hostages. Families of those still held by Hamas fear that time is running out, and are desperate for a resolution—any resolution.

But Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, remain adamantly opposed to any deal that halts military operations before Hamas is completely destroyed. Their resistance leaves Netanyahu boxed in—caught between a grieving, impatient public and a hardline cabinet unwilling to compromise.

As the diplomatic carousel spins once more, the question looms: can this moment yield real movement, or will it become another grim chapter in a cycle of talks, tension, and tragedy?

For Gaza’s civilians and the Israeli hostages’ families, the stakes could not be higher. But for now, peace remains agonisingly out of reach.