Al-Qassam Brigades hand over Israeli prisoners in Gaza during the previous truce agreement (Al Jazeera)

An informed source in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) told Al Jazeera Net that the movement is in open contact with mediators in Qatar and Egypt to receive a clear Israeli response regarding the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners.

He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is maneuvering in the media to avoid pressure from Israeli society and the families of Israeli prisoners, as well as international pressure to end the aggression, and he is not serious about moving towards reaching a comprehensive agreement.

The Hamas source added, "There is no meaning to any agreement that does not achieve security, shelter, relief, reconstruction, and a decent life for our people. The continuation of the military aggression cannot be accepted under any circumstances, nor the continuation of the siege on the Gaza Strip."

He explained that the Israeli occupation must realize that its failure in the military field does not qualify it for success in media, diplomatic or negotiating maneuvers.

Yesterday, Friday, the Hamas delegation concluded a visit to Cairo, during which it held, over two days, tripartite meetings with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, during which they discussed Hamas’ response to the proposal that was prepared in Paris for a ceasefire.

On the other hand - and according to the American website Axios - Israel is scheduled to send a delegation to Cairo next Tuesday to meet with the Director of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, and the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, To discuss efforts to reach a deal with Hamas in Gaza.

Leaks

Earlier, the Walla website reported that Israel had delivered its response to Qatar and Egypt, indicating that Israel had rejected many of Hamas’ demands and expressed its readiness to negotiate on the basis of the original Paris proposal.

According to the Israeli website, Tel Aviv rejected a number of points in Hamas’ response to the proposals, indicating that it informed the mediators of its refusal to commit to ending the war or lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip after completing the implementation of the deal.

Al Jazeera had published details of Hamas' response to the proposed framework for the truce agreement, which it presented to the mediators last Wednesday.

In its response, Hamas agreed to a framework agreement to reach a complete and sustainable truce in 3 stages, each stage lasting 45 days, and including: agreeing to exchange prisoners and the bodies of the dead, ending the siege, and reconstruction.

Hamas also demanded that the complete truce talks be completed before the start of the second phase, that Israeli forces be ensured outside the borders of the Gaza Strip, and that the reconstruction process begin.

On January 28, a meeting was held in the French capital with the participation of Israel, the United States, Egypt and Qatar, to discuss a prisoner exchange deal and stop the war in Gaza, which will take place in three stages, according to Palestinian and American sources.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip that has left tens of thousands of civilian victims, most of them children and women, in addition to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and massive destruction of infrastructure, which led to Israel being brought before the International Court of Justice on charges of “genocide.” .

Source: Al Jazeera