Hamas Delegation Leaves Gaza Truce Talks in Cairo Without Deal

A Hamas delegation has left talks in Cairo without a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza, but the armed group says indirect negotiations with Israel are not over.

It had been hoped that a 40-day truce could be in place for the start of the Islamic month of Ramadan next week.

With more signs of a famine looming, international pressure has only grown.

But Egyptian and Qatari mediators have struggled to seal a deal that would see Hamas free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Israel did not send a delegation to Cairo, saying it first wanted a list of the surviving hostages who could be released under the agreement.

Hamas said Israel did not accept its demands for displaced Palestinians to be able to return to their homes nor a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gazan cities.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 30,800 people have been killed in Gaza since then, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

A Hamas statement said its delegation left Cairo on Thursday morning for consultation with the leadership of the movement, with negotiations and efforts continuing to stop the aggression, return the displaced and bring in relief aid to our people.

Egyptian state-affiliated TV channel al-Qahera meanwhile cited a senior source as saying that the negotiations would resume next week.