Israeli sources called on the political level in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to make decisions regarding the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, in preparation for concluding a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (official) said: "There are tangible difficulties in the negotiations with Hamas regarding the path of the exchange deal."

She claimed that "Hamas refuses to provide a list of the names of the living and dead kidnapped persons who are supposed to be included in the first phase of the deal."

The Authority pointed out that "the negotiating delegation returned to the country yesterday evening after a ten-day stay in Qatar."

She quoted sources she described as knowledgeable about the negotiations (unnamed) as saying: "They (the negotiations) have not reached a dead end, and we are at a stage where decisions must be made at the political level."

The sources claimed that "Hamas ignores the pressures of the mediators."

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority indicated that "Israel stressed that the delegation will return if there is progress in the contacts."

In recent days, Israel and Hamas have spoken about progress in indirect negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

On Wednesday, Hamas announced the postponement of reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip due to Israel setting new conditions related to withdrawal, prisoners, and the return of displaced persons.

Hamas said in a statement: "The ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations are proceeding in Doha with Qatari and Egyptian mediation in a serious manner, and the movement has shown responsibility and flexibility."

She continued: "The (Israeli) occupation set new issues and conditions related to withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoners, and the return of the displaced, which delayed reaching the agreement that was available."

On Tuesday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari announced in a press conference in Doha that negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas “are still ongoing between Cairo and Doha, and it is not possible to predict when an agreement will be reached.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that the negotiating team will return from Qatar tonight (Tuesday), after "an important week of negotiations," to hold internal consultations on a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

The prisoner exchange negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, have faltered more than once, due to Netanyahu’s insistence on “continuing control over the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt, and the Rafah crossing in Gaza, and preventing the return of Palestinian faction fighters to northern Gaza by searching returnees through the Netzarim corridor in the middle of the Strip.”

For its part, Hamas insists on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and a complete cessation of war, in order to accept any agreement.

Tel Aviv is holding more than 10,300 Palestinians in its prisons, and estimates that there are 100 Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas announced the killing of dozens of its prisoners in random Israeli raids.