Monday Briefing

Palestinians at the site of an Israeli strike in Rafah in southern Gaza on Sunday.Credit…Hatem Khaled/Reuters

Cease-fire talks in Cairo faltered

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas stalled again, meaning more uncertainty for the families of Israeli hostages and no quick reprieve for Palestinians in Gaza. Mediators struggled to bridge the remaining gaps, and a Hamas delegation left the talks, officials said.

The main dispute was over the duration of a cease-fire, with Hamas demanding a permanent one and Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing openness to only a temporary halt in fighting.

Hamas blamed the lack of progress on Netanyahu, who has vowed to stage a ground offensive in Rafah, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering, with or without an agreement. Israel and the U.S. contend that Hamas has been holding up a deal. Netanyahu said yesterday that ending the war would allow Hamas to rebuild its military capabilities and threaten communities throughout Israel.

Other updates:

• Trading fire: Rockets from Hamas killed three Israeli soldiers and critically wounded three others. Israel’s military said it had responded with airstrikes and closed a main aid corridor into Gaza.

• Al Jazeera: Israel’s cabinet voted to close the Israeli operations of the Qatar-based news outlet for at least 45 days. Netanyahu has called the network a “Hamas mouthpiece.”

• Medical aid: Four children from Gaza who were injured or malnourished were flown to the U.S. for treatment.

Xi Jinping’s trip to Europe

Xi Jinping, China’s leader, arrived in France yesterday on his first trip to Europe in five years. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, will host a state dinner for him tonight. The E.U. Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, will join their talks in Paris.