US lauds ‘constructive’ hostage deal negotiations, Hamas denies progress has been made

US officials presented a final bridging proposal in Doha, which they claim closes almost all of the gaps between Israel and Hamas.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The renewed hostage deal talks in Doha have made progress, according to the three countries brokering the negotiations, even as Hamas expressed pessimism regarding the prospects of breakthrough.

The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar called the last 48 hours of hostage deal negotiations “constructive,” while Hamas denies the claim that talks are progressing.

A Biden Administration official reported that the hostage deal negotiations in Doha that began on Thursday have been the “most constructive in months.”

The official said President Joe Biden called the talks “the end game” and spoke with  Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

U.S. officials presented a final bridging proposal in Doha, which they claim closes almost all of the gaps between Israel and Hamas.

“We will be reconvening in Cairo at this level before the end of next week, with an aim to close out this process once and for all,” the official added during the phone briefing.

Biden was cautiously optimistic when speaking to U.S. reporters and said, “As of an hour ago, it’s still in play. I’m optimistic. It’s far from over.”

He added, “There’s a couple more issues. I think we’ve got a shot.”

However, Hamas, who didn’t send a delegation to Doha, says that any progress reports are merely an “illusion.”

Several Hamas sources insisted that Israel submit to the version of the ceasefire and hostage release proposal put forward by Biden on July 2nd.

Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining the hostage release proposal with new demands, as reported by Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen.

Hamad claimed Netanyahu was “practicing deception” and said he was”setting new conditions and undermining what was previously agreed upon.”

“Netanyahu undermined the agreement from the ground up,” he said.

Hamad accused Netanyahu of demanding an Israeli presence in the Philadelphi Corridor rather than a complete withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip.

He also claimed that Israel was leaving loopholes in the agreement that would allow them to enter Gaza later.

Hamad added, “Israel has thwarted all the mediators’ efforts to reach an agreement. Israel has thwarted the Doha negotiations today, and there was no progress.”