Israel's positions, responses in cease-fire negotiations ‘negative’: Hamas

ISTANBUL

Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, described on Friday Israel's positions on negotiations regarding a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian factions in Gaza and a cease-fire as “negative.”

It came during a news conference held by a senior Hamas leader, Osama Hamdan, in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

“The occupation's positions and responses to the mediators are negative, and they put many obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement,” said Hamdan. “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is procrastinating and evading, aiming to hinder reaching an agreement. He does not care about releasing prisoners held by the resistance. Rather, it is a card he uses to achieve his goals.”

Hamdan further said that “Netanyahu imposes four conditions on his delegation for any upcoming negotiations: no cessation of aggression, no withdrawal from the Strip, no return of displaced people to the north and no real exchange deal.”

He pointed out that his movement “dealt positively with the proposals and initiatives of the mediators, and proceeded with its clear priorities to stop the aggression against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

Hamdan emphasized that “Netanyahu's government's insistence on pursuing a genocidal war against civilians in the Gaza Strip, without concern even for the killing of more hostages (Israelis) held by the resistance under Zionist brutal bombardment, will not be stopped by mere ideas and initiatives, but requires firm stances and practical measures to end the aggression and respond to the rights of our people, leading to ending the occupation.”

He added that "this requires a sound diagnosis of the current situation from the international community and concerned states."

Hamdan's statements came as Paris meetings began to discuss a cease-fire in Gaza, attended by delegations from Hamas and Israel, with the participation of Egypt, Qatar and the United States.

The meetings aim to reach a cease-fire in Gaza, release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and support humanitarian conditions in the Strip.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala