Gaza correspondent
EPADebate on extending the Gaza ceasefire could not be reached, Palestinian officials told the BBC.
Negotiators are about to move forward after the first phase of the temporary ceasefire ended on March 1.
The US proposed extending the first phase until mid-April, including further exchanges of hostages held by Israeli-held Hamas and Palestinian prisoners.
However, Israel and Hamas opposed a key aspect of the contract set out in an indirect speech by US Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkov, and Palestinian officials familiar with the consultation said Israel and Hamas disagreed.
Israel has not commented yet, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it will receive a report from the Israeli negotiation team later on Saturday.
The White House accused Hamas of making “completely unrealistic” requests in response to Witkov’s proposal.
The ceasefire will expand in April, but will delay negotiations for the last end of the war.
“Hamas has a very bad bet that the time is on its side. It’s not,” a statement from Witkov’s office on Friday said.
“Hamas should know the deadline well and know that if that deadline passes, they will respond accordingly.”
Hamas’ statement seen by the BBC said the negotiations had collapsed.
Netanyahu’s office previously said that Israel had accepted the US proposal.
Hamas said it “remains rejected and blames the group for “manipulation and psychological warfare.”
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire agreement in January, including three stages, after a 15-month war.
In the first stage, Hamas returned 25 living Israeli hostages, eight other ruins, and five living Thai hostages. Israel has released about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
According to the deal, Stage 2 includes the remaining living hostages of Gaza who were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.
However, both sides currently disagree with the number of hostages scheduled to be released next.
They also disagree with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Israel resists this point, and Hamas insists that it should happen.
At the beginning of March, Israel said it aimed to block aid in Gaza, then cut electricity and put pressure on Hamas.
Hamas is still believed to hold up to 24 living hostages in Gaza and 35 other bodies.
As indirect talks continued Friday, the group said in a statement that it was ready to release the last living Israeli-American hostage.
Edan Alexander, 21, worked as an Israeli soldier near Gaza when he was taken.
Under the terms of the original ceasefire contract, he was expected to be one of the last hostages released.
The group also said it would hand over the bodies of four other double citizens captured during the attack on October 7, 2023.
It did not give further details or clarify what to request in return.
Witkov rejected the offer and said Hamas was trying to make him appear flexible in public places while still private and unrealistic.
The Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, with 251 hostages, mostly civilians.
The attack caused an Israeli military attack, according to figures from Hamasran Health Ministry, which the United Nations and others use.
Most of Gaza’s 2.1 million population has been exiled multiple times.
An estimated 70% of buildings are damaged or destroyed, medical, water and sanitation systems are collapsed, and there is a shortage of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.
Additional reports by Emir Nader.
