By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
SvennoJ on 28 February 2024
Edit Thread

Senior Hamas official: ‘Long way to go before ceasefire deal agreed’

Basem Naim, Hamas’s head of political and international relations, has told Al Jazeera that there is still a long way to go to secure a potential ceasefire deal with Israel. “The gap is still wide. We have to discuss a lot of points with the mediators,” said Naim.

He added that the optimistic posture of the Biden administration is not “related to the reality on the ground” and has more to do with domestic political considerations in an election year.

“If the Americans want to be really optimistic, they have to end their game of double standards,” Naim said. “They talk about wanting a ceasefire and avoiding broadening the conflict in the region, but at the same time they are using their veto in the UN Security Council, they are providing billions of dollars to Israel, and they are securing more ammunition for Israel.”

While Hamas is willing to be flexible on some aspects of a potential ceasefire deal, it will not do so at the expense of its “main, strategic goals,” adds Basem Naim, a senior official.

Hamas’s non-negotiable demands, he says, are:

  • A final and total ceasefire and not just a humanitarian pause
  • The total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza
  • Freedom of movement for Palestinians within Gaza.

However, when it comes to the exchange of prisoners and captives and plans for Gaza’s reconstruction, “there is some space for flexibility”.

“Hamas has shown great flexibility from the beginning to achieve a ceasefire because we know every added day to this slaughter means 100 to 150 more Palestinian civilians killed,” said Naim, speaking from Istanbul.

“People in the northern part of Gaza are dying because of starvation. We know exactly what this means. Our families are still there.”


Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh also made the following points:

  • Israel is committing the worst atrocities known to humanity, including the extermination and displacement of civilians.
  • The international community, especially Arab countries, has a duty to confront and restrain Israel’s actions to prevent a ground invasion of Rafah and starvation in the northern part of the Strip.
  • Any flexibility shown in negotiating with Israel is matched by our willingness to defend our people.
  • The rise in Israel’s attacks in the West Bank is part of a comprehensive plan to displace Palestinians.
  • Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites must be managed in accordance with international law. Our people will defend their mosques, churches and holy sites with all forms of resistance.
  • We call on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to Al-Aqsa on the first day of Ramadan.

Not looking good, it's going to be another slaughter around Al-Aqsa in March (10th)