Peter Baker -- April 24, 2026
Qatar's foreign minister cited irreconcilable differences over the sequencing of hostage releases, and said no further session had been scheduled.
Ceasefire talks in Doha collapsed on Thursday after both the Israeli and Hamas delegations notified Qatari mediators that they were suspending participation, with no further session scheduled. Qatar's foreign minister cited 'irreconcilable differences on sequencing of hostage releases and duration of any pause' as the cause of the breakdown. United States envoy Steve Witkoff departed Doha and returned to Washington.
The Israeli delegation withdrew following a cabinet session that produced positions described by an Israeli official as 'incompatible' with Hamas requirements. 'There is no agreement. The other side is not serious,' the senior Israeli official said. Hamas, in a separate statement, said Israel had introduced new conditions at a late stage in the negotiations. Both sides publicly attributed the failure to the other.
Families of the hostages were informed of the collapse at the same time the news was being reported publicly. Several family representatives criticised that sequence, saying they should have been notified privately and in advance of any public disclosure.
Qatar, which had served as the primary mediating party throughout the talks, did not announce plans to reconvene the parties. Egypt and the United States, the other principal mediators, also issued no immediate statements indicating next steps.
The breakdown left the ceasefire process without an active framework and the hostage situation unresolved.