Gaza ceasefire talks stall again as US envoy returns empty-handed from Cairo

Negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza collapsed again on Sunday after US special envoy Steve Witkoff returned to Washington without a deal, having failed to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas on the terms of a prisoner exchange and a permanent end to hostilities.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators said talks would continue but acknowledged that the two sides remained “far apart” on key issues. Hamas insisted that any deal must include a complete and permanent Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. Israel said it would not agree to any terms that prevented it from resuming operations if Hamas violated the agreement.

The breakdown comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates sharply. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said food supplies in the north of the territory had run out entirely, and that access for aid convoys was being blocked at multiple checkpoints.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Hamas to “accept reality” and agree to a deal, warning that continued refusal would result in intensified military operations. The European Union called on all parties to return to the table without preconditions.