New Israeli terms delaying ceasefire deal, says Hamas

Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and Israel traded accusations on Wednesday over delays in finalising a ceasefire and hostage release deal, after both had reported progress in the latest round of Gaza truce talks.Indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US have taken place in Doha in recent days, rekindling hope for an agreement between the two warring parties that has so far proven elusive.Wednesday, both sides accused the other of throwing up roadblocks, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged the country's leadership to move towards a deal."The hostages are in clear and immediate danger", Herzog, whose role is largely symbolic, said.Fighting meanwhile raged on in the Gaza Strip, were rescuers said Israeli strikes yesterday killed at least 20 people.Hamas said in a statement that "the ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations are continuing... in a serious manner." But, it added, Israel "has set new conditions" which have "delayed reaching an agreement".Hamas said the latest Israeli demands concern troop withdrawal, the terms of the proposed ceasefire and the potential release of prisoners held in Israeli jails, as well as "the return of displaced people" to their homes in Gaza.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told a parliament session that there had been "some progress" in the talks, two days after Hamas and other Palestinian groups said a ceasefire agreement was "closer than ever".In Israel, critics of Netanyahu including relatives of some of the dozens of hostages still in captivity in Gaza have accused him of stalling.A group of family members of Gaza hostages Wednesday urged Netanyahu to secure a deal to bring their loved ones homes.Israel and Hamas have agreed just one truce in more than 14 months of war.The late 2023 one-week pause saw 80 Israeli hostages freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians detained by Israel, with 25 other captives, mostly Thai farm workers, also released.A primary bone of contention in negotiations since then has been the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.Another unresolved issue has been Gaza's post-war governance, which remains highly contentious.Israel has repeatedly said it would not allow Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, to run the tiny coastal territory ever again.Netanyahu has also said he would not agree to a complete withdrawal of troops from Gaza, and Wednesday his defence minister, Israel Katz, said security matters in the Palestinian territory "will remain in the hands of the IDF", the Israeli military.On the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 20 people were killed in Israeli strikes Wednesday.Four people including a child were killed in a strike that hit tents of displaced people in Gaza City.Israel's military campaign, launched on October 7, 2023 has killed at least 45,361 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians.