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Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization hit a setback Thursday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled Israel’s negotiating delegation from Doha following what officials described as a hardening of Hamas’ demands.
“In light of the response Hamas delivered this morning, it has been decided to recall the negotiating team for further consultations in Israel,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “We appreciate the efforts of the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, and the efforts of envoy Steve Witkoff to achieve a breakthrough in the talks.”
According to reports in Israeli media, the terror group is now demanding the release of 200 Palestinians serving life sentences for murdering Israelis, and an additional 2,000 Palestinians detained in Gaza after Oct. 7. That demand significantly exceeds the previous mediator-backed framework – reportedly accepted by Israel – which included the release of 125 life-term