Numerous attempts have been made to mend the Fatah-Hamas rivalry, including a dialogue hosted last June among Palestinian factions hosted by China, though without a breakthrough. Hamas today remains the most dominant group in Gaza, though a number of other influential factions continue to operate there.

The latest friction in negotiations comes as the fighting nears 20 months of war and as desperation grows among hungry Palestinians and relatives of hostages in Gaza

Hamas says it accepted a US-mediated ceasefire proposal in principle but accuses Israel of removing all key guarantees.

President Donald Trump hinted on Friday that Israel and Hamas are close to another ceasefire, as Israeli ground operations intensify in Gaza. During a Friday Oval Office press conference, Trump said the adversaries were “very close” to another ceasefire, despite Hamas having rejected the last U.S. ceasefire proposal backed by Israel.

Hayya, said in a pre-recorded speech on Thursday the group had not rejected the latest U.S. proposal for a ceasefire with Israel but demanded changes that would secure the end of the war in the enclave.

The war began when Hamas-led terrorists killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. More than half the captives have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and recovered the remains of dozens more.

The Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war climbed past 55,000, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday, and local hospitals said at least 21

Yair Yaakov was kidnapped by Islamic Jihad in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The other hostage will be named later, the Israeli military said.