Hamas delegation leaves Cairo, as ‘ball is now in Israel’s court’

Negotiators from the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, left Cairo yesterday after presenting the group’s proposal to conclude a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and swap prisoners with Israel. Sources in the movement told Al-Quds Al-Arabi that, “The ball is now in Israel’s court.”

According to a senior Hamas official quoted by Al-Mayadeen news site, the ceasefire talks have reached a dangerous turning point that threatens the possibility of reaching an agreement. He said that after dialogue in Cairo with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, there is a degree of certainty that Israel will not give clear answers to the main issues requested by Hamas.

Pointing out that Hamas’s main demands have not changed — a ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, and the return of the displaced Palestinians — the official said that, “On this basis, Hamas has not presented any new initiative regarding the number of prisoners, which is the most important issue for Israel. It is clear that the mediators have tried to reassure Hamas that its demands are acceptable to the Israeli side, but Hamas wants this to be stipulated in the agreement, and not just be given verbal guarantees.”

Regarding the Israeli army’s withdrawal from Gaza, he explained that Hamas believes the draft agreement is “unclear and ambiguous”, with Israel offering to withdraw to the east of the Gaza Strip without specifying the locations, while Hamas demands the withdrawal be carried out with clear maps showing the redeployment. Moreover, Israel has not provided any guarantees regarding a ceasefire, a main demand by Hamas and all the resistance factions. “In the first phase, Hamas demands a complete suspension of military operations, provided that the second phase includes discussing a final ceasefire.”

The obstacle in the prisoner issue is the numbers requested by Hamas, a figure which has been rejected by Israel.

Earlier on Wednesday, another Palestinian resistance leader told Al-Mayadeen that Israel does not respond to the mediators’ efforts. He said that Tel Aviv has not yet given any positive position regarding stopping the war, and does not want to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. The occupation state is, in effect, being evasive, he claimed.

Hamas issued a statement on Wednesday saying that it had shown “the required flexibility with the aim of reaching an agreement requiring a comprehensive cessation of aggression… but the [Israeli] occupation is still evasive… especially [about] committing to a permanent ceasefire, the return of the displaced, [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and providing [humanitarian aid].”

The movement indicated that negotiating through mediators to reach an agreement fulfils the demands and interests of the Palestinian people.

In a related issue, senior Hamas official Izzat Al-Rishq has accused the US administration of being complicit in the genocidal war waged by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza for five months. Airdropping some humanitarian aid to the Strip “will not beautify the US image,” he insisted.

READ: Egypt, Qatar urge international support for ceasefire in Gaza Strip