Doha negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian mediators aimed at brokering a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza have reached an impasse, with a senior official from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) confirming that discussions on troop pullback “are currently stalled.” This further complicates what many had hoped could become an endpoint in Gaza’s conflict.
As reported by Muhammad al-Hindi, deputy secretary-general of PIJ, Doha talks, hosted by Qatar, Egypt and the US were supposed to focus on agreeing a framework that would guarantee ending Israeli military aggression, withdrawing Israeli forces and creating secure aid routes; however Israeli negotiators appear more focused on hostage exchanges and Palestinian prisoner releases than on creating an overall plan for troop withdrawal (New York Post; Dawn | The Times of Israel).
Al-Hindi told Al Jazeera that any framework agreement must take into account these three pillars simultaneously, while also noting his lack of trust in U.S.-led guarantees following past experiences; for example when Israel took prisoners despite US guarantees being provided. He went on to emphasize how Palestinian resistance will not sign agreements that lead to surrender and annexation of large areas of Gaza Strip from any agreement reached in Geneva on January 18-20th 2019.
At the core of their dispute lies Israel’s troop withdrawal – highlighted both by Hamas and PIJ – a point already raised by both organizations. Hamas demands full Israeli pullback to pre-March 2025 ceasefire lines; Israel prefers phased withdrawal with robust security arrangements in place, potentially maintaining presence in buffer zones like Rafah (New York Post; Reuters and India Today both favour gradual withdrawal).
According to Reuters reports, under Israel’s current proposal approximately 40% of Gazan territory including Rafah could remain under Israeli control; Hamas delegates have dismissed this concession as “insufficient.”
Israel has stated it will not withdraw completely without receiving assurances from Hamas that they have disarmed and all hostages have been released, according to The Times of Israel, Reuters, and New York Post (all sources plus10).
Hamas-led violence in Gaza has escalated significantly: at least 17 Palestinians were shot and killed while collecting aid near Rafah by Israeli troops; moreover, ongoing airstrikes killed several more in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis (Reuters and The Guardian, respectively).
UN officials warn that Gaza’s fuel reserves have reached critical levels, posing serious threats to civilian infrastructure, healthcare services and sanitation systems, The Guardian reports.
Pressure on both parties continues to build as negotiations remain deadlocked, prompting mediators to call for renewed U.S. engagement–particularly prior to Steve Witkoff’s expected arrival in Doha–in order to break deadlock over withdrawal maps and facilitate humanitarian corridors, according to media outlets such as ynetnews and Israel Hayom (www.israelhayom.com +3
The Independent).
However, both sides blame one another for the impasse: Palestinian sources accuse Israel of lacking serious authority to commit, while Israeli officials accuse Palestinian groups of exploiting hostage issues to delay withdrawal decisions, according to Al Jazeera +15, ynetnews +15 and India Today (+15).
Domestic pressure in Israel has intensified, with public demonstrations calling for a deal to free hostages and end the war, according to Politico, Reuters and New York Post reports.
Palestinian civilians continue to face an increasingly dire humanitarian reality due to regular bombardments and restricted aid deliveries.
Doha negotiations must successfully overcome differences over troop deployment, withdrawal lines and trust mechanisms or risk collapsing completely, prolonging hostilities further while exacerbating Gaza’s humanitarian plight further.