Hamas has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming round of ceasefire and hostage-prisoner swap negotiations, which are scheduled to resume on Thursday.
Suhail Hindi, a leader of the group, informed Anadolu news agency that Hamas will not join the talks in Doha or Cairo. He emphasized that Hamas requires a “clear commitment from Israel” regarding the terms agreed upon on July 2, which were supported by a proposal from US President Joe Biden. If this commitment is provided, Hamas is willing to engage in the implementation of the agreement.
Earlier this week, Hamas requested that mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US present a plan to implement the proposal endorsed by Biden. This came after mediators urged both sides to finalize a ceasefire and a deal for releasing hostages and prisoners without further delays.
On May 31, President Biden outlined an Israeli ceasefire proposal, describing it as a “road map” for a lasting truce and hostage freedom. The proposal included three phases: a six-week ceasefire with Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, followed by negotiations for the release of all remaining hostages and Israel’s complete withdrawal, and finally, a major reconstruction effort in Gaza.
However, the talks were disrupted last month when Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Biden noted that the assassination negatively impacted ceasefire efforts. This event, combined with the recent killing of a top Hezbollah commander by Israel, has stalled the negotiations. Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions have also hampered ceasefire efforts, as his far-right coalition partners threaten to topple his government if he agrees to a ceasefire, potentially leading to elections and his removal from power.
