Hamas delays, extreme demands, and resistance to U.S.-backed aid framework stall hostage deal as Israel hardens military posture and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff shifts focus from Doha to Europe. Mediators express frustration with Hamas intransigence and stall tactics.

Israel has recalled its delegation from Doha for urgent consultations, pausing a critical stage in the long-stalled ceasefire and hostage negotiations with Hamas. The decision, confirmed by senior Israeli officials, underscores rising frustration from both Jerusalem and international mediators over what is being described as Hamas’s “delusional” and destabilizing demands.

The talks—meant to secure a 60-day truce in exchange for the phased release of 10 Israeli hostages (believed to be alive), the return of 18 bodies, and the expansion of humanitarian aid into Gaza—have been hindered by Hamas’s insistence on a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. According to one diplomat close to the talks, “Hamas knows this is a nonstarter. Their approach is sabotaging the humanitarian and diplomatic tracks alike.”

Mediators, including U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatari and Egyptian officials, had hoped that a revised Hamas response delivered late July 23 would unlock progress. While some improvements were noted—including a clearer framework for the phased release of hostages—it retained critical red lines unacceptable to Israel. Chief among these were demands to revert aid distribution back to the United Nations, a move that would, in Israel’s view, effectively return control to Hamas over the flow of supplies. Israel insists that only the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a mechanism designed to bypass Hamas—can ensure aid reaches civilians without being diverted to the terror group.

Witkoff Shifts from Doha to Sardinia, Signaling Stalemate

Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy on the hostage file, had initially been expected to return to Doha to pressure Hamas negotiators directly. Instead, he will hold side consultations in Sardinia, Italy, with Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

This detour, Israeli officials note, is a sign of dwindling patience with the process in its current form. “Witkoff is not wasting another minute chasing phantoms in Doha. The center of gravity is shifting,” one senior source said. Witkoff himself is said to be growing skeptical of continued goodwill toward Hamas, whose July 22 proposal included a fantastical seven-year ceasefire demand—instantly dismissed by all mediators as unserious.

Even the July 23 update, while described by one American official as “a marked improvement,” failed to meet baseline criteria: it still demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli troops and international guarantees for permanent peace without Israel’s military defeat of Hamas. These points, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized in his latest remarks, are “non-negotiable.”

Netanyahu: ‘No Ceasefire Without Hostages and Hamas’s Defeat’

Fresh off his strategic meetings in Washington with President Donald Trump and other U.S. leaders, Netanyahu is presenting a unified Israeli position: no permanent ceasefire will be agreed to while hostages remain in Gaza and Hamas’s operational capacity persists.

“We are committed to bringing everyone home—dead and alive,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. “But we will not give Hamas the ability to regroup under the cover of ceasefire negotiations. Our war goals remain unchanged.”

According to updated Israeli intelligence, approximately 50 hostages remain in Gaza. Of these, 22 to 24 are believed to be alive, and their rescue or negotiated release remains a top priority. However, the IDF’s ongoing operations in Deir al-Balah—where many hostages are suspected to be held—are increasingly seen as critical leverage amid what officials are calling Hamas’s “delay strategy.”

Mediator Conflicts and Allegations of Obstruction

Further complicating the process are tensions within the mediating camp itself. Palestinian-American mediator Bishara Bahbah, operating in tandem with Qatari negotiators, has come under fire from Israeli officials for allegedly straying from the agreed-upon mediation framework. “Bahbah is freelancing,” said one senior Israeli diplomat, “and Hamas is exploiting that.”

Hamas, for its part, claims Israel has violated earlier understandings, especially regarding the scale of troop withdrawals and the distribution of humanitarian aid. The group is now demanding stronger American guarantees—something Witkoff is unwilling to concede without progress on the hostage front.

Humanitarian Collapse Looms as Negotiations Drag On

As diplomacy stalls, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is spiraling. More than 80 Palestinians reportedly died during a botched aid distribution incident in central Gaza earlier this week. With over 1.9 million displaced persons, Gaza’s population faces mounting shortages of clean water, food, and medicine. Israeli military activity has intensified in areas such as Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, disrupting planned delivery routes and worsening already catastrophic conditions.

The proposed truce framework included a commitment to 600 aid trucks per day entering Gaza. But disagreements over who controls that aid have blocked implementation. Hamas’s insistence on restoring UNRWA as the principal distributor is seen by Israel and U.S. officials as a means of reasserting control, possibly rerouting supplies to support its fighters or secure loyalty in civilian areas.

International organizations are now warning of “mass starvation” in parts of northern and central Gaza. While Qatar and Egypt maintain a sliver of optimism, both governments have publicly acknowledged that time is running out. “We need more flexibility from all sides,” said Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari. “But especially from the parties with leverage over the battlefield.”

Strategic Implications Beyond Gaza

The failure to finalize a hostage deal casts a long shadow over broader strategic plans. The United States, particularly under Trump’s current administration, had hoped to use the success of the humanitarian mechanism and hostage diplomacy as a prelude to a new regional security architecture—potentially paving the way for normalization steps between Israel and Arab Gulf states, including a rebuilding initiative for post-war Gaza.

Saudi and Emirati officials had privately expressed willingness to fund civilian reconstruction and tourism infrastructure along Gaza’s coast—but only under the condition that Hamas no longer controls territory or supply chains. The current impasse weakens these ambitions and heightens pressure on Israel to continue military operations until Hamas is neutralized.

For now, with Israel’s delegation recalled and Witkoff rerouting his diplomacy through Europe, the immediate prospect of a deal seems dim. While talks have not been formally declared dead, they are—at best—frozen.