Hamas says Netanyahu is still putting obstacles in way of ceasefire deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still putting obstacles in the way of agreeing a ceasefire deal, the Islamic resistance Movement, Hamas, has claimed. The aim is to set new conditions and demands with the aim of undermining the mediators’ efforts and prolonging the war, reported the Palestinian Information Centre, citing the movement’s media statement.

The new proposal responds to Netanyahu’s conditions and aligns with them, especially his rejection of a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and his insistence on the occupation state continuing to have troops in the “Netzarim Corridor” area, the Rafah Crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor. Netanyahu apparently also set new conditions in the prisoner exchange issue, and backed down from others, which all prevent the completion of the exchange deal, explained Hamas.

The movement said that it holds Netanyahu fully responsible for the failure of the mediators’ efforts and the obstruction of an agreement, as well as being fully responsible for the lives of the Israeli prisoners in Gaza.

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“They are exposed to the same danger that our people are exposed to due to his continued aggression and systematic targeting of all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip,” said Hamas. “We affirm our commitment to what we agreed upon on 2 July, based on the Biden declaration and the [UN] Security Council resolution. We call on the mediators to assume their responsibilities and oblige the occupation to implement what was agreed upon.”

The resistance movement stressed that it has dealt responsibly with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators’ efforts and with all the proposals aimed at reaching an agreement to stop the aggression against the Palestinian people and conclude a prisoner exchange deal. “Our intention was always to spare the blood of our people and put an end to the war of genocide, ethnic cleansing and brutal massacres committed by the occupation government and army against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

Hamas demanded that the mediators submit a plan to implement what they had presented to the movement, so that the negotiations do not remain in a vicious cycle due to Netanyahu’s procrastination and his placing of more conditions and obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement. “He is doing this in a way that serves his strategy to gain time and prolong the aggression.”

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