The head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, claimed in a speech he gave at the beginning of the month of Ramadan (March 10) that the terrorist organization Hamas is “open to continued negotiations”.
He emphasized that the organization strives for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced Gazans to their homes, and the introduction of humanitarian aid – this was reported in the Al Arabiya newspaper.
It was reported on Wednesday on the Politico website that senior US officials told their Israeli counterparts that the Biden administration would provide support to Israel in “tracking” senior Hamas officials, high-value targets in Rafah, and below the city – but this is only as long as Israel prevents a large-scale invasion of the city, which could “Break the covenant.”
As for the negotiations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that “a solid proposal for a ceasefire is on the table,” but they are still waiting for Hamas’ agreement.
He also called on Israel to put emphasis on the introduction of humanitarian aid to Gaza at the same time as the “necessary” fighting with Hamas continues.
“Does Hamas want to end the suffering it has caused?” Blinken wondered at a press conference at the State Department after a meeting with the European Union’s foreign policy commissioner, Josep Borrell.
“We talk and engage intensively every day, almost every hour, with Qatar, with Egypt, to see if we can achieve a ceasefire agreement that will bring the hostages out, bring in more aid, and create a path that might lead to a more sustainable and safe solution.”
No confirmation on the negotiation’s timetable
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said during a press conference in Doha on Tuesday, “We continue to work on the negotiations to reach an agreement, hopefully during the month of Ramadan.”
He explained that he could not “provide any timetable” regarding reaching an agreement and noted that “the situation is very complex on the ground.”
At the same time, an official in Hamas told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday morning that “the talks and consultations held by the mediators in Egypt and Qatar are continuing with Israel in an effort to reach a ceasefire agreement and the release of the prisoners, but there has been no breakthrough.”
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