Hamas rulers say indirect ceasefire talks with Israel halted

Gaza’s Hamas rulers say their indirect ceasefire talks with Israel have halted, AP reported. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri on Sunday blamed the impasse on the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, which has voiced its strong opposition to the talks. According to Abu Zuhri, in response, his Islamic militant group is escalating its protests in new locations along Gaza’s borders with Israel. Hamas has led weekly protests since March, demanding an end to the decade-long Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has crippled Gaza since Hamas assumed control of the coastal strip. Egypt and the United Nations have been working to mediate in order to avoid another large-scale round of violence.