The Palestinian group Hamas says it is “open to all ideas” but stands by its demand that any deal must permanently end Israel’s war on Gaza.
Hamas has received Israel’s official response to its latest Gaza ceasefire proposal and the Palestinian group will review the document before submitting a response, the organization’s deputy Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said in a statement.
“Hamas received today the official response from the Zionist occupation to the proposal presented to Egyptian and Qatari mediators on April 13,” al-Hayya, who is currently based in Qatar, said in a statement released by the group on Saturday Explanation.
After more than six months of Israel’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip, ceasefire negotiations remain deadlocked and Hamas maintains its demand that any agreement with Israel must end Israel’s war against the Palestinian enclave.
An Egyptian delegation visited Israel on Friday for talks with Israeli officials, seeking a way to restart talks to end the conflict and repatriate remaining prisoners held in Gaza following the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel, officials said an official briefed on the meetings told the French news agency AFP.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said Israel had no new proposals to make but was willing to consider a limited ceasefire that would see 33 prisoners released by Hamas, rather than the 40 previously discussed the United States and 17 other countries called on Hamas to release all of its prisoners to end the war.
In a statement released Friday, Hamas said it was “open to all ideas and suggestions that take into account the needs and rights of our people.”
However, the group stuck to its core demand that Israel end its war on Gaza and criticized the joint statement from the US and others that did not call for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
New momentum for conversations
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday he sees new momentum in talks to end the war and repatriate prisoners.
Citing two Israeli officials, Axios reported that Israel told Egyptian mediators it was willing to give prisoner release negotiations “one last chance” before a ground invasion of Rafah, the last refuge for about one Millions of Palestinians fled, Israeli forces continued attacks further north in the Gaza Strip early in the war.
The war in Gaza was also on the agenda of an international summit scheduled to begin in Saudi Arabia this weekend.
The World Economic Forum’s special meeting, scheduled to begin on Sunday in Riyadh, will include a Gaza-focused session on Monday with newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations assistance coordinator for, The Gaza Strip will take part.