Hostage talks between Israel and Hamas break down
Negotiations between Israeli and Hamas representatives on the release of hostages have reached a deadlock as the militants refused to guarantee that they will release a large number of foreigners.
This is reported by NBC News.
The publication clarifies that information about the reason for the failure of the negotiations was provided by an unnamed former American official.
"Hamas insists on receiving fuel... The Israeli and American sides, as well as other countries, want to release a large number of their citizens," he said.
At the same time, a former US official and an unnamed Israeli diplomat told the newspaper that the talks failed before Israel decided to expand its ground operation in the Gaza Strip on Friday, October 27.
"On Thursday, the talks were going very well, and negotiators hoped to reach an agreement over the weekend. However, at the beginning of Friday, disagreements arose that led to the talks stopping," the diplomat said.
According to NBC, negotiations between Israel and Hamas to release 239 hostages, including children and the elderly, have been ongoing since the militants invaded Israel on October 7. Approximately half of the prisoners are people with passports of 25 foreign countries.
Expansion of Israel's ground operation
Recall that on Friday, October 27, Israel began to intensify its attack on the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Defense Forces also announced the expansion of the ground operation.
At the same time, as noted in the IDF, on the night of October 30, additional troops were sent to the Gaza Strip to continue the operation.
The territory of the Gaza Strip is attacked not only with the help of ground forces, but also with the help of aviation and the navy.
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It's concerning to hear about the current impasse in negotiations.
The safety and well-being of hostages, especially children and the elderly, should always be the top priority. It's imperative that both sides find a way to resolve their differences and ensure the safe release of all involved.