Palestinian official says Hamas wants a deal, but not at any price: Report
A Palestinian official close to the truce mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel has reportedly said that the Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo with a determination to reach a deal, “but not at any price”.
“A deal must end the war and get Israeli forces out of Gaza and Israel hasn’t yet committed it was willing to do so,” the official told the Reuters news agency, asking not to be named.
Quoted by the agency, another Palestinian official said the negotiations are “facing challenges because the occupation [Israel] refuses to commit to a comprehensive ceasefire” but added that the Hamas delegation was still in Cairo in the hope mediators could press Israel to change its position.
Israel wants a deal to free at least some of the about 130 captives held by Hamas but has been reluctant to commit to an agreement to end the war. Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire and assurances that Israel won’t invade Rafah, which shelters about 1.5 million Palestinians displaced by the seven-month-old war.
Hamas is keen on reaching a comprehensive ceasefire: Haniyeh
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh says that the group is keen on reaching a comprehensive ceasefire that will end Israeli “aggression”, guarantee Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, and achieve a serious captive swap deal.
Haniyeh, in a statement, also blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “the continuation of the aggression and the expansion of the circle of conflict, and sabotaging the efforts made through the mediators and various parties”.
Ending war on Gaza would keep Hamas in power: Netanyahu
Netanyahu has hardened his rejection of Hamas’s demands for an end to the war on Gaza in exchange for the freeing of captives, saying it would keep the group in power and pose a threat to Israel.
He said Israel was willing to pause fighting in Gaza to secure the release of the captives still being held by Hamas, believed to number more than 130.
“While Israel has shown willingness, Hamas remains entrenched in its extreme positions, first among them the demand to remove all our forces from the Gaza Strip, end the war, and leave Hamas in power,” Netanyahu said, adding, “Israel cannot accept that.”
To remove Hamas from power is by providing / allowing an alternative to arrise. That's not going to happen while continuing to bomb and occupy Gaza.
Ben-Gvir: ‘Netanyahu, go to Rafah now!’
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a post on X to “go to Rafah now!” “We did not attack Gaza and received the seventh of October,” he wrote, referring to the Hamas attack inside Israel on that day.
Rafah fighting could happen ‘very soon’, says Israeli defence minister
Yoav Gallant says military action in Rafah in southern Gaza could happen very soon in light of what he claims is Hamas’s disinterest in a deal.
“We gave it a period of time, and we wanted to reach a situation in which we would achieve the release of the hostages as quickly as possible, with some delay in operational activity – because the hostages are in a difficult situation, and we need to make every effort to free them,” he said in remarks during a visit to central Gaza, as reported by the Israeli media.
He added: “We recognise alarming signs that Hamas actually does not intend to follow any agreement with us. This means action in Rafah and the entire Gaza Strip in the near future.”
The international community has warned Israel against a military operation in Rafah, which shelters about 1.5 million Palestinians displaced by the seven-month-old war. Hamas has reiterated its support for a deal that would involve a permanent end to the fighting in Gaza.
Ceasefire talks seem to be at a deadlock, both sides maintaining entrenched positions
From the Israelis, there’s an insistence that the most Hamas is going to get is this initial 40-day truce in exchange for 33 Israeli captives and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners.
From Hamas, there’s an insistence that any agreement with Israel should lead to an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Israel has been hammering home its position over the last couple of days. Netanyahu has said again that Israel’s aim since the start of the war has been to disarm and dismantle Hamas, and he’s going to go into Rafah to do that.
You have Gallant, the defence minister, who accuses Hamas of not being serious, and he says they are going to hit Rafah soon – even though, if you’re already in Rafah, it will feel like Israel is already attacking.
Hamas’s leader says the group is still keen on reaching what he calls a comprehensive ceasefire that ends Israel’s aggression, including a withdrawal from Gaza. He says they’re looking for a serious deal to free Israelis in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
However, despite teams from Qatar, Egypt, and the US being in Cairo on the second day of these latest truce talks, the Israelis have not sent a delegation, so it seems there is a dwindling window of opportunity for some truce.
Hamas delegation to leave Cairo talks
In a statement, the Palestinian group says that the current round of ceasefire talks in the Egyptian capital has ended, and that its negotiating team will leave for Doha this evening after two days of meetings.
“The movement’s delegation had delivered the movement’s response to the mediator brothers in Egypt and Qatar, where in-depth and serious discussions took place with them”, Hamas’s statement reads.
Earlier, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said the group is keen on reaching a comprehensive ceasefire that will end Israeli “aggression” in Gaza, and blamed Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for “sabotaging” negotiations.
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