US to seek 'alternative options' for ceasefire in Gaza: US envoy

Washington, July 25 (IANS) US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has said that the US will seek "alternative options" for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Meanwhile, he announced on Thursday that the US negotiating team is returning home from Qatar for consultations upon Hamas' latest response which he called "selfish", Xinhua news agency reported.

"We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza," the envoy wrote on social media platform X.

"We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza," Witkoff said.

At a news briefing on Thursday, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott did not reveal any details on what the "alternative options" the US is considering.

Also on Thursday, Israel decided to recall its Gaza ceasefire negotiating team from Qatar's Doha for consultations, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

The decision followed Hamas' response to the mediators' proposal earlier in the day for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, it said.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV News, citing a source close to the negotiations, reported that "the talks did not collapse".

"This is a coordinated move between all parties," it reported.

"There are fateful decisions that need to be made, and that is why the delegation returned for further consultations. The momentum is still positive."

Citing another source, Kan TV News reported that Hamas is, among other things, demanding the release of 200 Palestinian militants and 2,000 Gazan civilians who were detained after October 7, 2023, when the Gaza war erupted.

According to Kan, these numbers are much higher than what Israel agreed to in the mediators' proposal, which includes the release of about 120 militants and another 1,200 civilians.

--IANS

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