Hamas casts doubt on participation in new round of Gaza ceasefire talks

Last week, leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar urged Israel and Hamas to meet for negotiations on Aug. 15 in either Cairo or Doha to finalize a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal.

Israel announced it would send negotiators to take part in the meeting. Hamas initially stated it was studying the offer but has now hinted it may stay out of the new round of talks.

The group said in a statement on Sunday, “The movement calls on the mediators to present a plan to implement what was agreed upon by the movement on July 2, 2024, based on (President Joe) Biden’s vision and the UN Security Council resolution.”

“The mediators should enforce this on the occupation (Israel) instead of pursuing further rounds of negotiations or new proposals that would provide cover for the occupation’s aggression and grant it more time to continue its genocide against our people,” the statement read.

Hamas added it has shown flexibility throughout the negotiating process but that Israeli actions, including what Hamas has said was its assassination of the group’s leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month, indicate that it is not serious about pursuing a ceasefire agreement.

President Joe Biden laid out a three-phase ceasefire proposal in an address on May 31. Washington and regional mediators have since tried arranging the Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal but have run into repeated obstacles.

There has separately been an increased risk of a broader Middle East war after the recent killings of both Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut drew threats of retaliation against Israel.

Senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan stressed on Sunday the group still wants to reach a ceasefire agreement but will not allow Israel to dictate the progress of the process.

“Our position is clear, and we are not waiting for a discussion on new papers and titles,” Hamdan told Lebanon’s Al-Manar television.

“There is a document we have agreed on, and we are waiting for the announcement of implementation mechanisms, including the cessation of aggression, its withdrawal, sending aid to the Strip, and launching reconstruction.”

Despite appeals from mediators to stop hostilities, Israel persists with its deadly onslaught against Gaza.

The Israeli onslaught has killed nearly 39,800 victims since October following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

More than 10 months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the coastal enclave.