File Photo: Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan speaks to media in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. AP
Osama Hamdan told a news conference in Beirut that mediators had conveyed the Israeli position a day earlier, but it was "generally negative and does not respond to the aspirations of our people".
He said the Israeli response "constitutes a step backward" compared to previously communicated positions and "is likely to hamper negotiations, and could lead to an impasse".
Last week, Hamas proposed a six-week truce and the release of about 42 captives in exchange for 20 to 50 Palestinian prisoners per captive.
Hamdan's remarks came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Saudi Arabia as part of a regional tour to discuss efforts to secure a Gaza truce that includes a stop in Israel.
Global concern has mounted over the Israeli military campaign on Gaza now in its sixth month, in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas.
Just days ago, Hamdan had said Palestinian resistance would accept a partial Israeli withdrawal before exchanging prisoners, easing previous demands for a complete pullout from Gaza.
* This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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