An Israeli official stated on Saturday that Hamas is hindering the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza by insisting on a demand for a complete end to the war in the region. The official, who requested anonymity, suggested that "reports indicating that Israel has agreed to end the war as part of a prisoner exchange agreement or that Israel will allow mediators to secure a halt to the conflict are inaccurate."
He added: "Until now, Hamas has not abandoned its demand to end the war, thereby obstructing the possibility of reaching an agreement" concerning proposals for a ceasefire nearly seven months after the conflict began in Gaza.
Mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continue, aiming to reach a truce and secure the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons. A delegation from Hamas has arrived in Egypt, headed by political bureau member Khalil Al-Hayah. Recently, the movement confirmed that it is considering the latest proposal with a "positive spirit," while adhering to its main demands at this stage, which is for the truce to lead to a comprehensive ceasefire that ends the war.
In this context, the United States, which saw CIA Director William Burns arrive in Cairo on Friday, is pushing the Palestinian movement to accept the proposal that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described as "very generous" from Israel. Mediating countries have been waiting for about a week for a response from Hamas regarding the proposal Israel presented at the end of April, which includes a 40-day ceasefire and the exchange of dozens of hostages taken from southern Israel during Hamas's attack for a number of Palestinian detainees in Israel.
