On Thursday, Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Khalil Al-Hayya, stated that his organization was immediately prepared to engage in negotiations aimed at swapping all hostages with a predetermined number of Palestinian prisoners currently held by Israel. This move could be part of a larger agreement intended to bring the conflict in the region to a close.
Hayya, leading the Hamas delegation in the indirect negotiations with Israel, stated during a televised address that the organization had rejected a provisional ceasefire proposal.
“Netanyahu and his administration employ provisional accords as a smokescreen for their political objectives, which revolve around perpetuating the genocidal and punitive siege strategy, regardless of the cost being the sacrifice of all his detainees (hostages). We refuse to endorse this approach,” stated Hayya.
Recall that Egyptian mediators have been working to revive the January ceasefire agreement that halted fighting in Gaza before breaking down last month, but there has been little sign of progress, with both Israel and Hamas blaming each other for the lack of a deal.
According to DAILY POST, the recent negotiations held on Monday in Cairo aimed at reinstating the truce and securing the release of Israeli captives did not achieve any significant progress.
According to Hayya, Hamas accepted a proposal by the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, to release some hostages in return for Palestinians jailed by Israel, and begin talks on implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, which includes ending the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
He charged that Israel presented a counter-proposal containing unrealistic terms.
We’re prepared to free all the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
