Truce hopes dim on end-war push

Talks to reach a Gaza truce were expected to resume despite officials from the Hamas Islamist organization and Israel publicly disagreeing over demands to end their seven-month war.

The war's impact has been increasingly felt around the world as pro-Palestinian university students from Australia to Mexico and Europe follow the example of US protest encampments.

Gaza's bloodiest-ever war began following Hamas' unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,170 people and unleashed a retaliatory offensive that has killed 34,683 in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hardened in his rejection of Hamas demands for an end to the Gaza war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, who number 130, saying yesterday that would keep the Palestinian Islamist group in power.

"Israel cannot accept that."

Negotiators have proposed a 40-day pause in fighting and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. It would be the first such truce since a week-long ceasefire saw 105 hostages released in November in exchange for Palestinians.

After "no developments" in the first round of the latest talks, a senior Hamas official insisted it would "not agree under any circumstances" to a truce that did not explicitly include a complete end to the war and Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.

A top Israeli official said on Saturday that Hamas was "thwarting the possibility of reaching an agreement" by refusing to give up its demand for an end to the war.