Ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip have broken down after three days of intense negotiations that failed to produce a viable outcome, two Egyptian sources said on Saturday night, accusing Israel of a lack of real intent to reach an agreement.

The sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the attitude of the Israeli mediators showed there was “internal disagreement”.

According to these sources, the Israeli delegation approved many of the terms under discussion but then came back with amendments or set new conditions that risked the negotiations collapsing. The mediators saw “contradictions, delays in responses and the introduction of new terms, contrary to what was previously agreed” as signs that the Israeli side saw the talks as a formality aimed at swaying public opinion.

Earlier yesterday, Egypt called on Israel not to derail peace talks by making new demands that contradict what has been agreed, the Egyptian Al Qahera News channel reported, citing a high-ranking source.

Israel is wasting time in official meetings to sway Israeli public opinion away from reaching an agreement, this source argued.