Hamas says it will not negotiate the release of more hostages without a ceasefire in Gaza
The Islamist group Hamas has assured in the early hours of this Sunday that there will be no negotiations on the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners without the fighting taking place in the Gaza Strip between the militia and the Israeli army ceasing. According to a statement from the Sunni group, reported by the Efe news agency, the Palestinian faction opposes starting negotiations on the release of the Israeli hostages it holds in Gaza.
The statement ensures that “Hamas confirms its position that there will be no negotiation on any prisoner exchange agreement unless the aggression against the Gaza Strip is completely ended and the conditions of resistance are met.” According to Hamas, this position was conveyed to all mediators – which are Qatar, Egypt and the United States – in the negotiations with Israel.
The statement from the Islamist militia, considered a terrorist organization by the EU and the US, comes after the Government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli army took responsibility on Saturday for the mistaken death of three Gaza hostages shot by Israeli soldiers. , amid growing pressure from the families of those kidnapped for a new truce that would allow them to be released after 71 days of war.
“The State of Israel regrets the tragic death of three of our kidnapped people,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an appearance after relatives insisted on a new truce in the Israeli military offensive to bring them home. “We will learn the lessons,” the head of Government assumed, but without giving up his position of maintaining the relentless military operation on the Palestinian Strip.
In the afternoon, Netanyahu hinted that new negotiations are underway to recover hostages held by Hamas in Gaza after his Mossad intelligence chief met with the prime minister of Qatar, a country that mediates with the Palestinian militia. . Netanyahu insisted that maintaining “military pressure” in Gaza helped close the hostage release deal in November. “The instruction I am giving to the negotiating team is based on this pressure, without which we have nothing,” he said.
Along the same lines, Qatar affirmed on Saturday that there are “diplomatic efforts” to try to agree on a new ceasefire in Gaza that would allow the release of more hostages by Palestinian prisoners. “Qatar has expressed its hope to build on the progress made to reach a comprehensive and sustainable agreement to end the war,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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