No progress in Gaza ceasefire talks with Israel, Hamas official says

The militants also blamed the US for applying pressure on the group to accept Israel’s conditions

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People protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and call for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. Photo: AP

Published: 7:25am, 30 Jun 2024

A senior official of the militant Islamist group Hamas, Osama Hamdan, said on Saturday there has been no progress in ceasefire talks with Israel over the Gaza war.

The Palestinian group is still ready to “deal positively” with any ceasefire proposal that ends the war, Hamdan told a news conference in Beirut.

Arab mediators’ efforts, backed by the United States, have so far failed to conclude a ceasefire, with both sides blaming each other for the impasse. Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is eradicated.

Hamdan also blamed the US for applying pressure on Hamas to accept Israel’s conditions.

“Once again, Hamas is ready to deal positively with any proposal that secures a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from Gaza Strip and a serious swap deal,” said Hamdan, referring to a potential swap of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip walk through a street market in Khan Younis on Saturday. Photo: AP

When Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 they killed around 1,200 people and seized more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.