Hamas says Israel blocking Gaza ceasefire talks

Speaking in an interview with Al-Aqsa TV, Hamdan condemned Israel’s refusal to meet key conditions set by Hamas for halting hostilities.

“We went to the maximum flexibility regarding the prisoners,” Hamdan said, emphasising that Hamas was willing to negotiate if Israel agreed to cease its aggression, withdraw fully from Gaza, and allow for reconstruction efforts without preconditions.

However, he added that Israel continuously reneges on agreements made during the negotiations, particularly on the issues of withdrawal and stopping the violence.

Hamdan also condemned Israel’s attacks on hospitals, saying that the Israeli military is attempting to eradicate Palestinian presence in the region.

He called for unity within Palestinian ranks, insisting that confronting the occupation was a national duty, not the actions of outlaws, in reference to the actions of the Palestinian Authority, which is working with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank to fight resistance groups.

The official also sharply criticised the Palestinian Authority’s security behaviour, urging Palestinian security forces to focus their efforts on resisting the occupation, as this was the only legitimate course of action.

Egyptian sources have also told Al-Araby TV that ceasefire talks are on the verge of collapsing due to Israeli intransigence.

The Doha-based outlet reported Egypt and Qatar were attempting to make the deal work but are struggling due to Israel.

The sources added the political leadership in Israel was hindering the efforts made by their security officials to strike an agreement, which may fail if the Israeli approach doesn’t change.

Israel currently holds over 10,300 Palestinian prisoners, while around 100 Israeli hostages are believed to be held in the besieged enclave. Hamas has announced that dozens of Israeli prisoners have been killed in indiscriminate Israeli attacks.

Hamas has repeatedly expressed its willingness to reach a deal, and in May, it agreed to a proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden.

However, Netanyahu later rejected the proposal, adding new conditions, including the continuation of the military operation and the refusal to withdraw Israeli soldiers from Gaza. Hamas, on the other hand, insists on a full ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal.

Israel has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 45,300 people, most of them women and children, since an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.