Hamas says Israel ‘narrowing truce’, stresses any new deal must end Gaza genocide
The Hamas resistance movement has rejected Israel’s attempts to narrow down the ongoing ceasefire negotiations to a limited release of Palestinian prisoners in return for Israeli captives, warning it would turn down any agreement that fails to lead to a permanent end to the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Sunday, high-ranking Hamas official Basem Naim said his group would not allow talks to become a “cover for resuming aggression and massacres” following a temporary pause in Israeli attacks.
Naim stated that Hamas will continue to uphold its commitment to a comprehensive agreement that entails a full withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza, the reconstruction of the coastal territory, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital.
His comments came as a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday for negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
Naim characterized the discussions as “complex,” citing the inability of regional players to exert pressure on Israel and the international community’s complicity in the devastation resulting from the conflict.
He stated that talks held in Cairo concentrated on halting the Israeli aggression, reopening the border crossings of Gaza to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and establishing a committee to manage governance during the post-war phase.
Hamas has emphasized that it is “approaching any proposals positively if they guarantee a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, an end to the suffering of our Palestinian people, and a serious prisoner exchange deal.”
The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing hundreds of people, injuring many others, and shattering the ceasefire agreement with the Hamas and the deal on the exchange of Israeli captives from Palestinian prisoners.
According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 50,944 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and another 116,156 individuals injured in the brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Source:press tv