Hamas: What is happening in Washington and Tel Aviv is mostly a media show.
A senior Hamas official added in an interview with Cairo News that Hamas has clearly stated to the mediators, without any discussion of disarmament or handover, that it is ready to withdraw from the administration of the Gaza Strip and enter into a long-term ceasefire, provided that it is under Arab and international supervision.
The senior Hamas official, who was not named, continued: The movement insists on the release of Palestinian national figures, especially Marwan al-Barghouthi and Ahmed Saadat, the secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, as part of any prisoner exchange agreement.
He stressed that the issue of prisoners is “not a priority for negotiations,” but part of a broader vision to end the war and guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people.
The senior Hamas official stated that the movement had announced its initial agreement with some provisions of the US plan, adding: “However, any formula that does not guarantee a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip is unacceptable to Hamas.”
In this connection, an Egyptian source who asked not to be named told Cairo News Network: “Despite the positive and cautious atmosphere, fundamental differences remain, including the timing of the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, the method of international supervision, and the conditions for the prisoner exchange, which Israel is trying to tie to political and security issues.”
According to the report, in continuation of efforts to stop the war in Gaza, a delegation from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), headed by Khalil al-Hayyah, arrived in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheik on Monday to participate in indirect negotiations with the Israeli side, mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
The goal of these negotiations is to reach an agreement on a ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupying forces, and the exchange of prisoners.