GAZA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Qatar and Egypt presented new solutions for the return of the humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas by proposing additional categories of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages to be exchanged, a Palestinian source said on Sunday.
According to the source, Qatar and Egypt are trying to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas by suggesting an exchange involving the elderly and the remaining female hostages in the Strip.
Regional and international communities have warned Israel and Hamas about the risks of halting indirect negotiations and solely relying on negotiations amid ongoing hostilities, which could lead to more perilous developments on the ground, the source said.
Hamas's Deputy Chief Saleh al-Arouri announced on Saturday night that Hamas' stance now is "no prisoner exchange without cessation of war" in the Gaza Strip.
"Those remaining hostages in Gaza include soldiers and civilian men who served in the army, while Israel has decided it doesn't want to resume the exchange deal with new criteria," al-Arouri said.
Earlier, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that negotiations for the ceasefire in Gaza had reached a "deadlock," accusing Hamas of failing to fulfil its commitment to hostage releases.
The seven-day temporary humanitarian ceasefire, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, ended on Friday.
During the ceasefire, several batches of Israeli hostages in Gaza were released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.
Israel and Hamas resumed military operations immediately after the ceasefire ended, while the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that negotiations between the two sides of the return of a ceasefire continue. ■
