CAIRO — Hamas has accused the United States on Monday of disrupting cease-fire talks the militant group has been holding with the Israeli government.
In a statement, Hamas said the U.S. should not be a mediator due to its support of Israel.
"The American administration is the main reason for stalling any agreement," senior Hamas official Husam Badran said in a statement. He also described Washington as "military partner" of Israel, making it unfit to play the role of mediator.
The criticism comes days after a fresh round of cease-fire talks concluded in Doha, Qatar, which included the CIA chief, William Burns.
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The U.S. has provided Israel with key diplomatic and military support throughout the war. It has worked with Qatar and Egypt in mediation attempts to broker a deal that would include a pause in fighting and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas has demanded guarantees for an end to the war, the release of Palestinian prisoners and a plan for reconstruction of war-battered Gaza.
During a previous one-week cease-fire in November, around 100 hostages, mostly Israelis, were released in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners.
Badran also claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not interested in a deal and is deceiving hostages' families.
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Israeli media have reported that Israel has accepted a formula that would release hundreds of prisoners for the hostages and was waiting for a response from Hamas.
"The issue is not related to the prisoners and their numbers," Badran said. "The problem is that the occupation refuses to give any guarantees to the mediators on the basic issues in the lives of people in Gaza."
Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Hamas of making unrealistic demands.