Hamas will not accept a truce agreement without a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. Khalil al Hayya, member of the political office of the Palestinian Islamist movement, said this to the Qatari-owned pan-Arab broadcaster “Al Jazeera”. Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations and is “serious about releasing the hostages as part of an agreement that also guarantees the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons,” Al Hayya said. Among the objectives there is also the “unhindered return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in all parts of the Strip, the reconstruction of Gaza and the end of the siege”. The Palestinian group delivered its response to the latest proposal, which included a US amendment, on April 13, and is “still waiting for a response from Israel and the mediators,” Al Hayya continued, adding that “the point What has blocked the negotiations is Israel’s refusal to accept a permanent ceasefire.”
