The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said in a statement on Saturday that it had submitted its response to Egyptian and Qatari mediators on a proposed truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip, insisting on a permanent ceasefire.
Without explicitly rejecting the content of the project,
“Hamas reaffirms its demands and the demands of our people: a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupying army from the entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of residence, the intensification of the entry of humanitarian aid and the launch of reconstruction
,” he said.
The emissaries of Israel and Hamas met last Sunday in Cairo with those of Egypt, Qatar and the United States for yet another attempt at indirect negotiation with a view to finding a truce agreement in the Gaza Strip after six months of war. Until now, the protagonists had not clearly responded to their proposed agreement providing for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian detainees, accompanied by an increase in humanitarian aid.
Israel opposes a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of its armed forces from the Gaza Strip, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he is determined to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, in the far south of the territory. Palestinian, which he presents as the last great bastion of Hamas, in power since 2007 in the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of being
"the only obstacle"
to an agreement that could
"allow the release of the hostages"
, citing in particular as the main point of disagreement
"the end of the war and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip”
demanded by the Islamist movement.
“The government and security forces are united in their opposition to these unfounded demands
,” he said in a statement.