Israel could resume fighting in Gaza within 10 days as talks hit deadlock

Israel is preparing for a potential return to war within 10 days if no agreement is reached with Hamas over the release of hostages, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

Discussions regarding the continued release of hostages held in Gaza have reportedly stalled, with no progress made on the front, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

A senior official stated, "Nothing is currently moving on this front." Officials suggest that without a breakthrough, Israel is likely to resume military action against Hamas within a week and a half. "Hamas is currently rejecting [US Middle East envoy Steve] Witkoff’s proposal, so it is very difficult to make progress," the official added.

Witkoff's proposal involves the staged release of hostages and the return of bodies, with half of the living hostages and half of the bodies set to be returned on the first day of a resumed deal. The remainder would be released on the 42nd day, which would mark the final day of the ceasefire. However, reports suggest Hamas has not officially rejected the proposal.

"Hamas has neither accepted nor rejected the Witkoff proposal," a source familiar with the negotiations clarified.

There are currently no expectations for Witkoff to visit Israel soon. A source said, "He will only come to finalize a deal. And since there is no real progress right now, it is unclear when or if he will arrive."

Sources indicate that, without an agreement on the release of additional hostages, Israel is preparing to escalate its military response. This includes potentially cutting off water and electricity to the Gaza Strip, as well as resuming military operations as early as next week.

Despite not accepting Witkoff’s proposal, Hamas may agree to release more hostages in exchange for the release of prisoners and the entry of humanitarian aid. However, this is contingent on other factors. "The Israeli government needs to decide what will be negotiated with Hamas and what they will receive in exchange for the release of hostages in the coming weeks," a source noted.

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that if Hamas fails to release hostages soon, Israel will resume hostilities. "If Hamas does not release the hostages soon, the gates of Gaza will be locked, and the gates of hell will be opened – we will return to fighting, and they will face the IDF with forces and methods they have never encountered before," Katz said.

Meanwhile, Hamas has accused Israel of attempting to undermine the ceasefire agreement. "The occupation is pushing to return things to square one and overturn the agreement through the alternatives it is proposing," said senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan.

By Aghakazim Guliyev