Hamas accuses Israel of sabotaging peace talks as Gaza faces "genocide and starvation"
By isabelle // 2025-07-28
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  • Hamas accuses Israel of sabotaging negotiations despite accepting mediator proposals on prisoner exchanges and aid access.
  • Israel withdraws from Doha talks, claiming Hamas acted in "bad faith," while Hamas calls it a tactic to prolong genocide.
  • More than 127 Palestinians, including 85 children, have starved to death since March due to Israel's blockade, sparking famine warnings.
  • Humanitarian groups condemn Israel for weaponizing starvation, with 25% of Gaza's children and pregnant women now malnourished.
  • U.S. backs Israel's stance, drawing Hamas criticism, as aid restrictions and attacks on civilians escalate Gaza's humanitarian crisis.
Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya declared Sunday that negotiations with Israel are pointless while Palestinians endure "genocide and starvation" under an unrelenting blockade. The accusation comes after Israel abruptly withdrew its negotiating team from Doha, despite Hamas claiming it had accepted key mediator proposals on prisoner exchanges, aid access, and Israeli troop withdrawals. With more than 127 Palestinians—including 85 children—dead from starvation since March, humanitarian groups warn of an expanding "mass famine" as Israel tightens its stranglehold on Gaza.

Israel withdraws from negotiations as Hamas shows "flexibility"

Al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, condemned Israel’s withdrawal as a deliberate tactic to waste time and cause more genocide. In a video statement, he revealed that Hamas had agreed to mediator proposals on critical issues, including prisoner releases and humanitarian aid, only for Israel to walk away. "There is no point in continuing negotiations under the siege, genocide, and starvation of our children and women in the Gaza Strip," al-Hayya said. He emphasized that the immediate entry of food and medicine was a prerequisite for any further talks, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Despite Hamas’s concessions, Israel pulled its delegation from Doha, claiming Hamas was negotiating in "bad faith"—a charge al-Hayya dismissed as propaganda. "We were surprised by the occupation's withdrawal from the negotiations," he said, suggesting Israel’s real goal was to prolong the conflict rather than seek peace.

U.S. backs Israel as famine spreads

The collapse of talks has drawn sharp criticism from Hamas, which accused the U.S. of enabling Israel’s obstructionism. After U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff claimed Hamas lacked "desire" for a ceasefire, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq fired back, calling the remarks "inconsistent with the actual progress" acknowledged by mediators Qatar and Egypt. "The occupation's withdrawal from the negotiations round is a transparent step aimed at wasting time and causing more genocide," al-Hayya reiterated, pointing to Israel’s history of sabotaging peace efforts. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump echoed Witkoff’s claims, telling reporters, "Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die." But the facts on the ground tell a different story. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 127 Palestinians have starved to death since Israel’s March blockade, with malnutrition rates soaring. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that 25% of children under five and pregnant women screened at their clinics are malnourished. The UN warns of "man-made, mass starvation" as Israel continues restricting aid.

A war on civilians, not just Hamas

Humanitarian organizations accuse Israel of systematically blocking food and medical supplies while attacking civilians seeking aid. More than 1,121 Palestinians have been killed at Israeli-controlled aid distribution points, where soldiers and U.S. contractors have opened fire on desperate crowds. Despite Netanyahu’s claims that Israel is not responsible for Gaza’s famine, evidence suggests otherwise. The blockade, tightened in March, has created what aid groups call a "death zone," with families reduced to eating animal feed and grass. Even after partial aid resumption, deliveries remain woefully inadequate, with trucks routinely turned away or delayed at Israeli checkpoints. As negotiations stall, Gaza’s suffering intensifies. With no ceasefire in sight, Israel appears determined to wage a war of attrition—one that targets civilians as much as Hamas. For al-Hayya, the message is unequivocal: "The immediate and dignified entry of food and medicine to our people is a serious expression of the feasibility of continuing the negotiations." Until then, talks are just another smokescreen for genocide. The breakdown of Doha talks is not a failure of diplomacy but a calculated Israeli strategy to prolong Gaza’s suffering. While Hamas has shown willingness to negotiate, Israel has responded with starvation tactics and empty excuses. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net FoxNews.com BBC.co.uk
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