Hamas said Tuesday there could be no “exchange of prisoners” before a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as it responded to proposals from Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
“The security and safety of our people will not be achieved except through a permanent ceasefire, the end of the aggression, [Israel’s] withdrawal from every inch in Gaza…and the entry of aid to our people in Gaza is our utmost priority,” Hamas senior leader Osama Hamdan told a news conference in Beirut.
“Any prisoner exchange will not be completed except after the completion of all this.”
Hamas’ response comes as negotiators race to reach a deal that would pair a pause in fighting with the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Whether that deadline can be met remains uncertain. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously ruled out stoping the military campaign before Hamas is completely destroyed.
Hamdan on Tuesday also accused Israel of stalling on reaching an agreement and warned that the negotiations would not be “open-ended” as Israel continues its offensive in Gaza.
“We have affirmed our conditions for a ceasefire: complete withdrawal from the sector, the return of displaced persons to the areas they left, especially in the north, and the provision of sufficient aid, relief, and reconstruction,” he said
