Head of the National Relations Office in Hamas / Hossam Badran / said that the conditions set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proved to everyone his unwillingness to conclude a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Hossam Badran confirmed in a press interview published today by the Turkish Anadolu Agency that the indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel have reached a critical stage, due to Netanyahu’s insistence on continuing the war on Gaza, and not withdrawing from the Netzarim and Philadelphi axes in the center and south of the Strip.
Badran added: “What has been proven to all parties following these negotiations is that the Israeli occupation, led by Netanyahu, does not want to reach any agreement. Every time there is some kind of proposal or agreement between us and the mediators, we find Netanyahu setting new conditions that did not exist before.”
The Hamas leader pointed out that Netanyahu had put forward other options and demands following the ceasefire proposal announced by US
President Joe Biden at the end of last May, which the movement approved on the second of July.
On June 10, the Security Council adopted US draft resolution No. 2735, which stipulates a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from it, a prisoner exchange, reconstruction, and the return of the displaced people.
Hamas agreed to the proposal, but Netanyahu set new conditions that the movement rejected, including the deportation of Palestinian prisoners with high sentences to countries such as Qatar and Turkey, and restricting the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip.
Regarding the recent talks, Badran said that “the last round, which was during the past two weeks, faced procrastination from Netanyahu, as happens every time.”
Badran stressed that the decision of the security cabinet, which was taken a few days ago, regarding the Israeli non-withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor, “completely contradicts all the proposals and papers that were previously di
scussed in the negotiations during the past periods.”
He pointed out that the main issue that sparked the dispute in the negotiations was not the issue of prisoner exchange, but the issue of the Philadelphi Corridor.
Regarding the position of Hamas regarding what is happening on the ground and in politics, Badran said: “All our positions related to the negotiations are Palestinian positions, as we consult and coordinate with various Palestinian factions, especially the resistance factions.”
He stressed that the goal of Hamas is to stop the killing and destruction committed by the Israeli army against the sons of the Palestinian people.
Badran said: “The Palestinian people live under occupation and we are not two neighboring states, and therefore we are moving to defend our Palestinian people, and we are also moving on the ground through the resistance, and therefore it does not stop whether it is in the Gaza Strip or the escalating resistance in the occupied West Bank.”
He pointed out that Israel is tryi
ng to give the impression that the issue of prisoner exchange is the main obstacle to reaching an agreement, indicating that these “allegations are false and a type of deception and fraud.”
He stressed that “the issue of prisoner exchange is a sensitive and important issue for us as Palestinians, and today we are talking about thousands of prisoners, including thousands from the Gaza Strip during the war.”
He pointed out that since the start of its ground battles in the Gaza Strip on October 27, the Israeli army has arrested thousands of Palestinians, including women, children, press crews, relief workers and civil defense workers.
Badran appealed to “the Arab and Islamic worlds and the free people of the world to enhance their level of solidarity and support for the Palestinian cause, because in the end we are defending the Palestinian right, the Arab right and the Islamic right in this blessed land.”
The Hamas leader said: “Every position that comes to us from the Arab and Islamic countries, especially
from our brothers in Turkey, is respected and appreciated.”
He added: “There is no doubt that the events in the Gaza Strip are great, and what is required is great from the whole world, especially from our Arab and Islamic countries, and we welcome every effort made by any party from our brothers in Turkey or from any Arab or Islamic country, whether on the political level, on the relief level or on the level of popular movement.”
He stressed that “what is happening in the Gaza Strip is a war of extermination by the occupation army against our defenseless Palestinian people, by targeting women, children and the elderly and destroying the infrastructure, homes and all institutions in Gaza.”
Badran called on the world, if it is honest and wants to achieve justice and stability in this region, to make every effort to stop the bloodbath first, and then to enable the Palestinians to obtain their right to liberation and deliverance from this occupation.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency