The local pause in fighting came days after ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas appeared to be in doubt.

Hamas issued a scathing statement in which it rejected U.S. criticism of its handling of negotiations aimed at ending the nearly two-year-long war in Gaza.

Only a few weeks ago, President Donald Trump seemed confident a deal was days away that would end the fighting in Gaza, secure the release of hostages and allow aid to flow into an enclave where people are starving to death.

President Trump’s special envoy said that “we will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home,” though it was not clear that negotiations had halted.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called the images of people, including children, starving in Gaza “disturbing and heartbreaking,” but insisted that Hamas “has stolen the

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with Hamas after Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating teams, throwing the future of the negotiations into further uncertainty.

It marks the latest setback in efforts to secure a deal that would bring a ceasefire to Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

In May, Trump secured the release of Edan Alexander, the last US Israeli citizen held hostage after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and started the latest war. Alexander, who grew up in Tenafly, NJ, had been serving in the Israeli military when he was captured.