U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and his team of mediators departed Qatar on Thursday after ceasefire negotiations with Hamas over the ongoing conflict in Gaza collapsed.
Witkoff announced the decision following Hamas’s latest proposal, which he said reflected “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.”
“It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way,” Witkoff said in a statement. “We are resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza. Although the mediators have made great efforts, Hamas does not seem to be coordinating or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options for returning the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the Gazans.”
The principal stumbling block was Hamas’s insistence on written guarantees for a permanent ceasefire and changes to the sequence and timeline of prisoner releases. Witkoff’s plan offered only a 60-day truce with no framework to ensure Israeli compliance after the expiration of that period.
Hamas cited the previous January ceasefire agreement, which Israel ended on March 17—exactly 60 days later—with full U.S. backing. The group expressed concern over the lack of enforcement mechanisms in the current deal, fearing a repeat of what they consider a breach of trust.
Further complicating matters is Hamas’s claim that, following the May release of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, Witkoff had promised two key concessions: the facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza and a public call for a ceasefire by President Donald Trump. According to Hamas, neither of these promises was honored, fueling skepticism over the U.S. role in the talks.
The credibility gap has left Hamas unwilling to engage further without stronger commitments. In parallel, Israel also recalled its delegation for consultations, signaling that the negotiation process has reached a standstill for the time being.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has continued to worsen. Nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since late May, when the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) assumed control of aid distribution. Footage circulating online and testimonies from Israeli soldiers published in Israeli media suggest that dozens of unarmed Palestinians are being killed daily while waiting for aid. Some reports allege the killings are being carried out deliberately under direct orders from Israeli commanders.