JERUSALEM: Hamas’s armed wing Friday said there would be no compromise on the movement’s demand that Israel withdraw from Gaza Strip to secure the release of hostages seized in the October 7 attack.
“Our top priority to reach a prisoner exchange deal is the complete commitment for the halt of aggression and an enemy withdrawal, and there is no compromise on this,” spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said in a televised statement.
Obeida further said that Hamas also wants relief for the people, the return of the displaced and reconstruction as he warned of looming famine in the war-ravaged territory.
The statement came as hopes for a new ceasefire in the five-month war between Israel and Hamas, which was launched by Palestinian militants in an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, is fading.
Mediators are racing for a ceasefire ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Sunday.
On Thursday, a Hamas delegation left the latest round of talks in Cairo for talks with the movement’s leadership in Qatar, expressing dissatisfaction with Israel’s response to its demands.
Hamas has demanded that Israel withdraw from the Gaza Strip, but Israel has not accepted.
Hamas took about 250 hostages in the October 7 attack, some of whom were released during a week-long ceasefire in November.
Israel believes that 99 hostages in the Gaza Strip are alive and 31 are dead.
The new ceasefire agreement was expected to include a hostage exchange for some Palestinian prisoners for Israeli prisoners.
According to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-controlled region, Israel’s retaliatory military operation aimed at destroying Hamas has killed at least 30,878 people in the Gaza Strip.
