Hamas’s reaction to the new plan for a cease-fire: We only accept a permanent cease-fire
A senior Hamas official responded to reports of a new ceasefire plan in Gaza, saying the Palestinian resistance movement would only accept a permanent ceasefire.
An American media said that Hamas officials reacted to the new plan proposed at the Paris meeting to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Associated Press quoted “Osame Hamdan”, a senior member of Hamas in Beirut, as writing that the Palestinian resistance movement is considering this new ceasefire plan, which includes provisions for long-term breaks in the war and the exchange of Israeli prisoners with Palestinian prisoners.
At the same time, Hamdan has rejected some of the key provisions of this plan, the Associated Press wrote. Hamdan said that Hamas is seeking the release of thousands of Israeli prisoners, including those who have been sentenced to life imprisonment. He named two prisoners whose release Hamas wants. “Marwan Barghouti” and “Ahmed Saadat”.
Marwan Barghouthi is one of the former commanders of Fatah, who has been sentenced to 5 life sentences by Israel. According to the Associated Press, many Palestinians consider Barghouti to be a revolutionary leader on par with Nelson Mandela or Fidel Castro, whose image has not been affected by the corruption of the Palestinian Authority.
From prison, Barghouti has called for the formation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. Poll results show him as one of the most popular Palestinian leaders.
In an interview with Lebanon’s LBC TV, Hamdan also emphasized that the Palestinian resistance movement demands a permanent ceasefire and does not accept a phased approach with several breaks in the war. “There is no way the resistance is going to accept this,” he said.
“We have tried temporary pauses and it has become clear that the Israelis do not respect these pauses and are constantly violating them,” he said in comments that may have referred to a week-long ceasefire in the Gaza war in November.
According to reports, Israeli, American, Egyptian, and Qatari negotiators reached an agreement in Paris on Sunday on a framework for ending the war and freeing other Israeli prisoners held by Hamas.
Yesterday (Thursday), a senior Israeli official said that the war cabinet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is waiting for Hamas’s response to the Paris plan. NBC News had claimed that this plan included provisions for a prisoner exchange and a two-month pause in the war.