Hamas: We do not back down from our demands.
According to al-Mayadeen, “Khalil al-Hiya”, the vice president of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said in a speech quoted by the Associated Press: “We have several times presented agreements to stop the war and cease-fire for 5 years or more.”
Al-Hiya said: Hamas will accept the formation of a Palestinian state with full sovereignty on the borders of 1967 and if this happens, the military branch of this movement will be dissolved. The records of the struggle against the occupiers have shown that these fighters will turn into political parties when they resign and achieve their rights and country.
He added: “The Hamas movement has shown flexibility and has been short on the issue of the number of Palestinian prisoners who will be released during the possible exchange of prisoners.” Hamas will not back down from its demands regarding the establishment of a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Al-Hiya continued: When we are not sure that the war will end, why should we hand over the prisoners? We reject any presence of foreigners in the sea or on the land of Gaza and treat any Israeli or non-Israeli military force as an occupying force.
The deputy head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip added: Israel’s efforts to destroy Hamas will ultimately fail in preventing the armed uprising of the Palestinians.
He added: that Hamas wants the continuation of Qatar’s role as a mediator. There is no move to transfer the Hamas movement’s political office permanently.