Washington is scaling back its involvement in Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, recognised as a terrorist group by the US and EU, “demonstrates a lack of will” to reach a truce, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Whitkoff said Thursday.
“While the mediators have made significant efforts, Hamas does not appear to be acting in a coordinated manner and lacks honesty. We will now look at alternatives to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza. It is unfortunate that Hamas has acted in such a selfish manner,” he wrote on social media X.
Trump’s special envoy also added that the US is determined to seek an end to the conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza.
State Department spokesman Pigott did not provide details on what “alternatives” the U.S. is considering for the release of the hostages.
When asked if and how the U.S. would continue to seek a truce in Gaza, Pigott did not provide clear answers and told reporters that “this is a very dynamic situation.” He said Washington remains committed to trying to see an end to the conflict.
The Hamas group said it was surprised by Witkoff’s “negative remarks” and said it had shown responsibility and flexibility in the negotiation process. Hamas added that it is “committed to reaching an agreement that will end the aggression and suffering of our people in Gaza.”
A breakthrough in a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been elusive for the Trump administration after 21 months of war.
US President Donald Trump has positioned himself as a peacemaker and pledged to broker agreements in conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza, but another move for a truce in Gaza has failed.
Israel began fighting in Gaza in response to a Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 that killed about 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages. The fighting and airstrikes have killed some 58,000 people in the Strip, according to the Palestinian side, Israel has questioned those figures and pointed out that it is unclear how many Hamas members were killed and how many civilians. Fifty hostages remain, most of them reportedly dead.
A mass demonstration was held in Tel Aviv on the evening of 19 July calling for an end to the fighting and for the release of the hostages. Participants appealed to US President Donald Trump to help achieve this.