Hamas (Washington Insider Magazine)— Hamas has informed mediators that it will no longer participate in indirect ceasefire talks while Israel’s military actions in Gaza continue but remains open to a “complete agreement,” including a swap of hostages and prisoners, should Israel halt its offensive.
Efforts by mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States to arrange a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly stalled, with each side blaming the other for lack of progress.
On Thursday, Hamas issued a statement while Israeli forces continued their assault on Rafah in southern Gaza, disregarding an International Court of Justice (ICJ) order to cease the operation. Hamas expressed it had approached past rounds of negotiations with a “positive” outlook and stated it had accepted a mediator’s proposal on May 6, despite Israel’s ground offensive on Rafah.
In recent communications, Hamas has declared it would no longer participate in negotiations under conditions it describes as aggression, siege, and deprivation for the Palestinian people. Instead, it emphasized willingness to establish a “comprehensive exchange deal” if Israel’s assault is stopped.
Sticking points in previous talks include Hamas’s demands for a permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and allowing displaced families to return. Israel has dismissed these demands, stating its goal is to eliminate Hamas from Gaza and citing the ongoing Rafah offensive as part of a hostage rescue and anti-Hamas operation.
According to an Al Jazeera tally, more than 240 individuals were captured during an October 7 Hamas incursion into southern Israel, which reportedly left at least 1,139 Israelis dead. Israel responded with extensive strikes on Gaza, which have resulted in the reported deaths of over 36,000 Palestinians and displacement of the majority of the population, per local health authorities.
Earlier negotiations between Israel and Hamas in November yielded a limited prisoner exchange but have since stalled. On Thursday, the situation escalated as Israel declared control of a buffer zone on Gaza’s border with Egypt, restricting access to Gaza’s land crossings.
Medical reports indicate at least 12 Palestinians were killed in Rafah during an Israeli airstrike while attempting to retrieve a civilian’s body. Elsewhere, airstrikes and ground battles were reported in various Gaza locales, including Shati refugee camp in the north.
As a result of ongoing fighting, communications were cut off in Rafah, per the telecommunications provider Jawwal. Meanwhile, the United States has voiced opposition to a major Israeli ground offensive but did not confirm the start of such an operation.
Despite growing international concern and calls from aid organizations, Israel has signaled it will continue the offensive. In Gaza, a scarcity of food and supplies has led to severe malnutrition and heightened fears of famine, as warned by the United Nations.
