Big gaps exist with Israel in truce talks: Hamas

Deep differences exist between Hamas and Israel in negotiations for a Gaza truce, an official from the Palestinian group with knowledge of the talks said.

The difficult talks over a ceasefire and possible exchange of hostages and prisoners resumed in Doha this week, with Israel's spy chief joining Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators.

"There is a deep divergence in positions in the negotiations between Hamas and the occupation (Israel) because the enemy understood the flexibility shown by the movement as weakness," the official told AFP on Saturday. The official added that "the enemy wants to reach a temporary ceasefire after which it can resume its aggression against our people."

Israel "refuses to agree on a comprehensive ceasefire and refuses the complete withdrawal of its forces from Gaza," the official said.

The official added that Israel had indicated it wanted to keep matters of relief, shelter and aid under its control, and demanded "the United Nations not return to work, especially in the northern Gaza Strip".

Long strained ties between Israel and United Nations have worsened as international outrage has built over the heavy civilian toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

At least 32,226 Palestinians have been killed and 74,518 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the Gaza health ministry said yesterday.

In a separate development, three people were wounded by Israeli air strikes on Lebanon's eastern city of Baalbek early yesterday, an AFP correspondent said.

The city is a stronghold of the Hamas ally Hezbollah and it was the third time the area had been hit in more than five months of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese Islamist movement.