Hamas movement announced today, Thursday, that its delegation has left Cairo and that the talks regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages will resume next week, making it very unlikely that an agreement will be reached before the blessed month of Ramadan.

Earlier, Egyptian officials had said that the negotiations had reached a deadlock due to Hamas's demand for a phased operation ending with the end of the war, but they did not rule out reaching an agreement before Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Sunday as an informal deadline.

Jihad Taha, Hamas spokesperson, said that Israel "refuses to commit and give guarantees regarding the ceasefire, the return of the displaced, and withdrawal from its incursion areas." But he said the talks are still ongoing and will resume next week.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

Demand for full withdrawal from Gaza

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been trying for weeks to reach an agreement on a six-week ceasefire and the release of 40 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. President Joe Biden said last week that he hopes to reach an agreement by March 4.

Egyptian officials said that Hamas agreed to the main conditions for such an agreement as a first stage but wants commitments leading to a more sustainable ceasefire ultimately.

Hamas, classified by several Western countries as a terrorist organization, said it will not release all remaining hostages without a full Israeli withdrawal from the sector. It is believed that Palestinian militants are holding about 100 hostages and the remains of 30 others who were captured during the October 7 attack on Israel led by Hamas that sparked the war.

Hamas also demands the release of a large number of prisoners, including senior militants serving life sentences, in exchange for releasing the remaining hostages. Israel has publicly ruled out these demands, saying it intends to resume the offensive after the ceasefire with the aim of destroying Hamas.

The October 7 attacks resulted in the death of about 1,200 people, including many Canadians, according to Israeli statistics.

The Gaza Health Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that Israeli bombing of the sector has killed at least 30,800 people and injured 72,298 others.

The United Nations says that a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million population are at risk of famine.

The month of Ramadan, the month of fasting from dawn to dusk, often witnesses escalating Israeli-Palestinian tensions regarding access to a major holy site in Jerusalem. It is expected to start on Sunday, but the beginning of the lunar month depends on moon sighting.