Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza have hit a major obstacle, as Israel reportedly seeks to maintain military occupation inside the territory, according to two Palestinian sources familiar with the talks.
"The negotiations in Doha are facing a setback and complex difficulties due to Israel's insistence, as of Friday, on presenting a map of withdrawal, which is actually a map of redeployment and repositioning of the Israeli army rather than a genuine withdrawal," one source told AFP on Saturday.
Forced displacement
According to TRT World’s correspondent Mohammed Al-Kassim, progress in Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks has slowed as Israel has proposed the forced transfer of Palestinians to Rafah.
Israel's latest plan to build a so-called "humanitarian city" of tents on the ruins of Rafah in southern Gaza is being condemned as an attempt at large-scale forced displacement of Palestinians under the guise of aid, amid its ongoing genocide in the enclave.
In a briefing on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz revealed details of a plan to relocate around 600,000 Palestinians in an initial phase to a fenced-off area built on the rubble of Rafah after a ceasefire deal is reached, subjecting them to strict security screenings and preventing them from leaving the site.
‘A death trap’
Hamas wants the UN to take over humanitarian and aid operations, but Israel persists with the controversial, notorious GHF.
The United States has also urged UN and global aid agencies to partner with the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — the newly created American organisation backed by Israel to feed Gaza's starving and besieged Palestinian population.
According to new figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 700 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and private contractors attempting to obtain food in the enclave since late May.
Around 5,000 Palestinians seeking aid have been wounded in almost daily shootings during aid distributions, the Ministry added.
This has spurred renewed condemnation of the US and Israeli-backed aid scheme.
The UN aid agency has called GHF's aid distribution "an abomination" and "a death trap costing more lives than it saves."
The UN and private aid groups have refused to collaborate with GHF, citing breaches of humanitarian principles.
They also accuse the US and its ally Israel of controlling who receives aid in the devastated enclave.
Reoccupation
Israel insists on disarming Hamas and forcing top leadership into exile.
Hamas has said it wants the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, which is home to more than two million people.
According to AFP, the Israeli delegation presented a map at the talks which proposed maintaining military forces in more than 40 percent of the Palestinian territory.
"Hamas's delegation will not accept the Israeli maps as they essentially legitimise the reoccupation of approximately half of Gaza and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement," the source added.
Mediators have asked both sides to postpone the talks until the arrival of US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha, they added.
A Palestinian source said "some progress" had been made on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners and getting more aid to Gaza.
But they accused the Israeli delegation of having no authority, and "stalling and obstructing the agreement in order to continue the war of extermination".
