Sign in Search the web Top Stories 20 years after tsunami 'Demon-possessed' machines Winner claims $1.1B jackpot Mammoth remains Large gold mine Stranded astronauts Santa tracker 2024 Get breaking news emails Elevated risk of heart failure Title 42 Reuters Hamas and Israel blame each other for ceasefire delay Jana Choukeir, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maytaal Angel Wed, December 25, 2024 at 6:59 PM GMT+6 3 min read FILE PHOTO: The silhouettes of a military vehicle and a soldier are seen near the Gaza border By Jana Choukeir, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maytaal Angel DUBAI/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel traded blame on Wednesday over failure to conclude a ceasefire agreement despite progress reported by both sides in past days. Hamas said that Israel had set new conditions, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of going back on understandings already reached. The occupation has set new conditions related to withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoners, and the return of the displaced, which has delayed reaching the agreement that was available," Hamas said. Hamas said, however, that it was showing flexibility and that the talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, were going in a serious direction. Netanyahu countered in a statement: "The Hamas terrorist organization continues to lie, is reneging on understandings that have already been reached, and is continuing to create difficulties in the negotiations." Israel will, however, continue relentless efforts to return hostages, he added