- Hamas issues statement, explaining terms
The Palestinian militant group Hamas has delivered a “positive” response to a proposal to halt fighting in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of some Israeli hostages, Qatar’s prime minister said, offering hope that a deal could be reached soon.
Qatar received the group’s response about the general framework for an agreement to release some of the hostages, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at a briefing alongside visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken, without detailing Hamas’ answer.
“The response includes some remarks, but overall it is positive,” Al Thani said.
But specifically, Hamas issued a statement saying: “We presented our response to the mediators, after consulting with the resistance factions, and the movement engaged with a positive spirit with this proposal, ensuring a comprehensive and complete ceasefire, putting an end to the aggression against our people, ensuring humanitarian aid, establishing shelters, reconstruction, and addressing the issues.
“Lifting the blockade of Gaza and the completion of the prisoner exchange conditions are part of Hamas’ acceptance of the prisoner exchange deal.
“To put Hamas conditions into context, the resistance are in a powerful state and will not accept minimum demands for maximum sacrifice! Today the Palestinian resistance are fighting alongside their allies in Yemen ,Lebanon and Iraq and this negotiation is unique in this sense… The ball is in Netanyahu’s court and he is between a rocket and a hard place!”
Blinken is on his fifth trip to the region since Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the US and the European Union, attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and seizing some 240 hostages. Blinken has sought to ease the fighting and moderate Israel’s response after it launched a punishing military campaign on the Gaza Strip that’s killed some 25,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there.
Along with Egypt and Qatar, the US has sought a fresh cease-fire deal to release some of the remaining dozens of hostages and halt the fighting, calling it the best way to end the conflict and ease tensions that continue to flare in the region.
Blinken said the US is studying the Hamas response, which has also been shared with Israel. He said he’ll talk about it more when he goes to Israel on Wednesday.
“The best path forward, the most effective path forward right now, is to get an extended period of calm and to work toward an end to the conflict is through an agreement on the hostages,” Blinken said.