Hamas has rejected Israel’s proposed “new conditions” for the ceasefire agreement and has made clear that it is only willing to accept the deal reached on July 2, CNN reported.
A Hamas delegation left Cairo on Sunday afternoon after holding talks with mediators aimed at resuming peace talks. The decision has further dampened hopes for a resolution to the 10-month-old, US-backed conflict.
What is Hamas’ position on the ceasefire agreement?
Hamas demanded that Israel “bind itself to what was agreed on July 2, based on what was established in Biden’s speech and the Security Council resolution,” according to the statement by Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, as cited by ANI.
Highlighting Hamas’ position, Al-Rishq said any agreement must include “a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the freedom of return of residents to their areas, aid and reconstruction, and a serious exchange agreement.”
Hamas has also blamed Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the stalled talks, accusing Netanyahu of introducing “new demands” and not being committed to a ceasefire, according to Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has declared that the war in Gaza will continue until Hamas is completely defeated, even if a deal is reached. This stance has been met with skepticism by senior Israeli officials, including his defense minister, and the families of Hamas prisoners.
What are the “new conditions” proposed by Israel?
According to a statement by senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan to Al Aqsa TV, Israel’s new set of conditions represents a complete “retraction” of what it had previously agreed to.
Hamdan said the new conditions involved repositioning Israeli troops in the Philadelphia corridor, a crucial area along the border with Egypt, and placing the Rafah crossing under non-Palestinian management.
(With contributions from ANI)
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