DOHA: Hamas’s lead negotiator on Thursday urged the United States to press Israel for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of thwarting a truce in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Since October 7, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza, killing at least 40,878 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The UN rights office has verified that most of the casualties are women and children.
The death toll includes 17 casualties in the previous 24 hours, according to the health ministry figures, which also list 94,454 people as injured in the Gaza Strip since October 7.
In a video statement, Hamas’s chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya urged the US administration to abandon their bias towards Israel and exert pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree on a ceasefire deal.
“If the US administration and its President (Joe) Biden really want to reach a ceasefire and complete a prisoner exchange deal, they must abandon their blind bias towards the Zionist occupation and exert real pressure on Netanyahu and his government,” Khalil al-Hayya said.
Months of back-and-forth talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have thus far failed to bring an end to the ongoing Israeli bombardment campaign in Gaza and secure a hostage and prisoner exchange.
Earlier on Thursday, in a statement, Hamas accused the Israeli Prime Minister of attempting to “thwart” a Gaza truce deal, following Netanyahu’s statements that the Palestinian group has “rejected everything” in ongoing negotiations.
The accusation comes at a time of heightened tension and pressure on Netanyahu to finalize a truce deal that would free remaining hostages after Israeli authorities on Sunday announced the deaths of six hostages whose bodies were recovered from a Gaza tunnel.
In a statement on Wednesday, Netanyahu expressed frustration, stating, “We’re trying to find some area to begin the negotiations. They (Hamas) refuse to do that… (They said) there is nothing to talk about.”
Netanyahu maintains that Israel must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a border zone along the Egypt-Gaza border. Hamas, however, has insisted on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and accused Netanyahu of using his insistence on controlling the border zone to “thwart” any potential agreement.
Hamas also claimed that the current deal is unnecessary, asserting that they had already agreed to a truce outlined by US President Joe Biden months ago. “We do not need new proposals,” the Palestinian group stated on Telegram. The group warned against Netanyahu’s “tricks” to prolong the conflict.
“We warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu and his tricks, who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people,” the Hamas statement added.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told media that Washington believes “there are ways to address” the impasse and encourage continued dialogue.
Domestically, Netanyahu faces criticism from Israeli citizens and political opponents who blame him for the deaths of hostages. Protesters in several Israeli cities have accused him of refusing to make necessary concessions for a ceasefire.
Anet Kidron, a resident of Kibbutz Beeri, said, “We are just waiting for them to come back to us, to come back alive and not in coffins.”
Key mediator Qatar on Tuesday criticized Israel’s approach. Qatar’s foreign ministry said that Israel’s actions are “based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead world public opinion by repeating lies.” Qatar warned that such tactics “will ultimately lead to the demise of peace efforts.”
The Israeli military’s campaign has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, with the destruction of water and sanitation facilities exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Amnesty International has called for an investigation into these actions as potential war crimes, including accusations of wanton destruction and collective punishment.
Gaza is also grappling with a severe public health crisis, marked by its first polio case in 25 years. In response, a massive vaccination effort has been launched, with nearly 200,000 children in central Gaza receiving the first dose. The World Health Organization plans to continue the campaign in the south and north of Gaza, aiming to fully vaccinate over 640,000 children in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has urged the military to employ its “full strength” against Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Tubas area, including the Faraa refugee camp, resulting in five deaths and one serious injury, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
Witnesses reported extensive damage and a large military presence in the Faraa camp, with Israeli troops conducting multiple strikes and causing widespread destruction. Since August 28, Israeli operations in the northern West Bank have killed over 30 Palestinians, including children.
