The spokesperson of Hamas’ armed wing said Friday the Palestinian resistance group remains open to a temporary truce in Gaza but warned that failure to reach an agreement could push it to demand a comprehensive deal to end the conflict, which has already claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives.
In a televised statement, Abu Ubaida said Hamas has repeatedly offered to release all hostages in exchange for a permanent cease-fire, but Israel continues to reject the proposal.
More than 10 days of cease-fire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have failed to yield progress on a U.S.-sponsored plan for a 60-day pause in Israel’s military onslaught, which has left much of the Palestinian enclave in ruins.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, in a readout of his call with Pope Francis on Friday, claimed that efforts for a hostage deal have not been “reciprocated by Hamas.” Israeli officials offered no further comment ahead of the Jewish Sabbath.
The potential deal reportedly includes the phased release of 10 Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of 18 more over a 60-day period, in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
“If the enemy remains obstinate and evades this round as it has done every time before, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or the proposal of the 10 captives,” Abu Ubaida said.
According to Hamas officials speaking to Reuters, key sticking points remain unresolved, including Israeli troop withdrawals, humanitarian aid access, and guarantees that any ceasefire would lead to a full end to the war.
While Hamas insists on a permanent cease-fire as part of any deal, Netanyahu maintains that the war will only end when Hamas is disarmed and its leadership expelled from Gaza.
Israel’s genocidal attacks killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, drawing international condemnation for what rights groups describe as a genocide.
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