Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli and Qatari officials in Rome Thursday to secure a deal to end the war in Gaza. (Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Witkoff added that it was a "shame" Hamas has acted in such a "selfish way," adding the U.S. stands resolute in its efforts to bring permanent peace to the region.
According to Israeli media reports, Hamas is now demanding the release of 200 Palestinians serving life sentences for murdering Israelis and an additional 2,000 Palestinians detained in Gaza after Oct. 7.
The demand significantly exceeds the previous mediator-backed framework reportedly accepted by Israel, which included the release of 125 life-term prisoners and 1,200 other detainees.
US-BACKED ORG SOUNDS THE ALARM OVER ABANDONED AID FOR GAZA, CALLS FOR UN COLLABORATION
At a State Department briefing Thursday, principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott would not elaborate on any details pertaining to the "alternative options" the U.S. was considering in its effort to bring home hostages and create a more stable environment in Gaza.
The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas says Trump's plan for the U.S. to rebuild Gaza is a "recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region." (AP/Alex Brandon/Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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"Israel has long accepted a deal on the table, and Hamas has long rejected it," he added.
During Thursday's press briefing at the State Department, the agency also confirmed that the U.S. would not be participating in an upcoming United Nations conference discussing a potential two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians.
Fox News' Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-pulls-team-from-ceasefire-talks-qatar-following-israel-amid-hamas-complaint