A senior Hamas official in Lebanon said Friday that his movement was open to any discussion that would put an end to Israeli
"aggression"
in Gaza, saying it was premature to talk about an agreement on a truce.
A draft truce agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, drawn up by Qatari, American and Egyptian mediators, notably provides for the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners incarcerated by Israel.
“Hamas reiterated its readiness to discuss any initiative (...) which would put an end to the barbaric aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza
,” Osama Hamdane declared at a press conference in Beirut.
He confirmed that his movement had received the truce proposal, but there are details that he says are missing.
This
“proposal is a framework agreement which needs to be studied (...) We cannot yet speak of an agreement”
.
After examination,
“we will announce our position which will be based on (...) our desire to put an end to the aggression against our people as quickly as possible
,” he added.
Read alsoMiddle East: Israel seeking a truce with Hamas
200 to 300 Palestinian prisoners released?
According to a Hamas source, a first phase of the project includes a six-week truce during which Israel will have to release 200 to 300 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 35 to 40 hostages still held in Gaza.
The war was sparked on October 7 by an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli soil, which resulted in the death of more than 1,160 people, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data.
In response, Israel vowed to
“annihilate”
Hamas and launched a military offensive which left 27,238 dead, the vast majority civilians, according to a latest report on Saturday from the Islamist movement's Ministry of Health.
Some 250 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza on October 7, according to Israel, and 132 hostages are still being held there.
Among them, 27 were declared dead by the army.