Hamas Declines Ceasefire Talks, Calls for Return to July Proposal - Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Palestinian movement Hamas is refusing an invitation from the United States, Qatar and Egypt to participate in the final round of talks with Israel on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, scheduled for August 15, the Axios portal reported, citing the movement's statement.
Earlier, Egypt, Qatar and the United States called on Israel and Hamas to resume discussions on the terms of a ceasefire on August 14-15. The leaders of the three countries said they were ready to present a final proposal to reach a deal.
Axios also reported that Hamas had cited new conditions recently presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, and Israel's latest strikes on the Gaza Strip as reasons for its decision.
In a statement to Al-Arabiya news, Hamas called on the mediators to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the deal US President Joe Biden promoted in early July.
"The movement calls on the mediators to present a plan to implement what was agreed upon by the movement on July 2, 2024, based on Biden's vision and the UN Security Council resolution," Hamas said in a statement.
"The mediators should enforce this on the occupation (Israel) instead of pursuing further rounds of negotiations or new proposals that would provide cover for the occupation's aggression and grant it more time to continue its genocide against our people," the statement said.
That plan included a stipulation that all Israeli forces leave the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor, which Israel now says it wants to continue occupying.
A senior Israeli official involved in the negotiations told Axios that Hamas' statement was "a tactical move ahead of a possible attack by Iran and Hezbollah and in an attempt to get better terms for the deal."
"If Hamas won't come to the table, we will continue decimating their forces in Gaza," the publication quoted the Israeli official as saying.
Earlier, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the movement, that Hamas had asked mediators in negotiations with Israel to present a plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, agreed upon by the movement in July, instead of starting new negotiations. According to the agency, Hamas demanded the implementation of the document agreed upon by the movement on July 2 and based on the vision of US President Joe Biden and the UN Security Council resolution.
In July, Israel and Hamas resumed negotiations through intermediaries on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of hostages. The negotiation process had been at an impasse for more than a month since Biden, on behalf of Israel, announced a new plan to resolve the conflict in the Palestinian enclave.
