Hamas said Saturday that it rejected Israel's "formulation" for extending the first phase of the cease-fire in Gaza, as the initial stage of the deal was set to expire.
The group’s spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, told Al-Araby TV that there were no ongoing negotiations for a second phase of the cease-fire.
He accused Israel of seeking to release more hostages while retaining the option to resume attacks on Gaza, saying the country was avoiding its commitment to end the war and withdraw its forces.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened senior ministers and security officials for consultations late Friday after Hamas refused to discuss extending the first phase of the cease-fire and insisted that talks shift to a second phase, which would include an end to the war.
The meeting followed the return of an Israeli delegation from Cairo, where negotiations made no progress.
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Hostage Eli Sharabi duing his release from Hamas captivity
(Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana / AP)
Egyptian sources told Reuters that Israel was attempting to extend the first phase by 42 days, with three hostages released each week in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. An Israeli official confirmed this was Israel's intention.
This marks the first Saturday since the cease-fire began that no hostages have been released.
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Currently, 59 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza. Israel believes 22 of them are alive.
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IDF soldiers stand at attention, saluting the coffin of slain hostage Shiri Bibas
(Photo: IDF)
An Israeli official told CNN on Friday that Israel does not wish to resume fighting but wants to remain aligned with the U.S.
"There is an understanding in Israel that [U.S. President Donald] Trump wants a broader regional settlement. That obviously doesn’t mean the war will restart immediately," the official said.
A convoy carries the coffins of hostages murdered in Hamas captivity on Thursday
(Video: Reuters)
However, the official added that Netanyahu aims to secure the release of more live hostages without committing to ending the war or moving to phase two of the deal.
"The second phase means declaring the war over. That will never happen. Israel will maintain as much ambiguity as possible."