"Efforts to Restart Hostage Negotiations with Hamas Met with Resistance"

Hamas has been unresponsive to recent attempts to restart hostage negotiations, according to sources familiar with the efforts. Qatar, acting as an interlocutor, has proposed new ideas to secure the release of more hostages, including both women and men. However, Hamas has not engaged in the outreach. Israel's military operation against Hamas is intended to exert pressure and potentially drive Hamas back to the negotiating table. The Israeli prime minister's office believes there are still 135 hostages in Gaza, with 116 alive. The US continues to seek the release of eight Americans. President Joe Biden is set to meet with some of the families of the American hostages. Israel has informed the US that they are testing the use of seawater to degrade Hamas' tunnel network.