Hamas said that Israel had laid down further conditions, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of going back on understandings already reached.

STORY: Dressed in white, mothers and daughters of hostages held by Hamas held a silent sit-in protest in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, the first night of Hanukkah.They are calling on Israel to reach a deal for their loved ones to be released.

Israel and Hamas on Wednesday accused each other of obstructing negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, after Israel withdrew its negotiators from the talks the previous day. Israeli media reported on Wednesday that the refusal by the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas to hand over a list of the names of the hostages it still holds is hindering progress in the negotiations.