The first round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas has concluded without a breakthrough, a Palestinian official has announced.
According to the official, the session lasted for nearly three and a half hours and took place in two separate buildings in Doha, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
Messages and clarifications were exchanged between the two sides through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, but no progress was achieved.
The official added that talks are expected to resume on Monday, as mediators plan to hold separate meetings with each delegation in an effort to overcome the obstacles and narrow the gaps between the two sides.
According to Reuters news agency who spoke with two Palestinian officials, the Israeli delegation was not "sufficiently authorised" to reach an agreement with Hamas because it had "no real powers".
The latest round of indirect negotiations come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Washington to meet Donald Trump.
Netanyahu said he thinks his meeting with the US president on Monday should help progress efforts to reach a deal for the release of more hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.
He said he had given his negotiators clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions Israel has accepted.
Hamas has said it has responded to the latest ceasefire proposal in a positive spirit, but it seems clear there are still gaps between the two sides that need to be bridged if any deal is to be agreed.
For now, Hamas still seems to be holding out for essentially the same conditions it has previously insisted on - including a guarantee of an end to all hostilities at the end of any truce and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Netanyahu's government has rejected this before.
