Hamas, Islamic Jihad Respond To Ceasefire Proposal

Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements have announced in a statement that head of the Hamas political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh and Secretary-General of Islamic Jihad in Palestine Ziyad al-Nakhala delivered the response of the resistance groups to the proposed ceasefire and prisoner swap initiative in a meeting with the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. They also delivered their response to Egypt.

The statement emphasizes that the resistance groups considered the interests of the Palestinian people, the imperative necessity of a complete cessation of hostilities, and the full withdrawal of occupying forces from Gaza in the response to the proposal.

The statement further asserts that a Palestinian delegation, relying on a sense of national responsibility, expresses readiness for positive engagement to achieve an agreement that would bring an end to the ongoing war.

The two resistance movements said in a joint statement that they are ready to “deal positively to arrive at an agreement” and that their priority is to bring a “complete stop” to the regime’s assault on the besieged area.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen television network that the group had “submitted some remarks on the proposal to the mediators.”

A Hamas official also told Reuters that the response reaffirmed any agreement must end the Zionist aggression on Palestinian people, get the occupying forces out, reconstruct Gaza and achieve a serious prisoner swap deal.

The foreign ministries of Qatar and Egypt said in a joint statement that they were examining Hamas’ response and that they would continue their mediation efforts along with the United States until an agreement is reached.

White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby said the US had also received and was evaluating the response.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits the region to pursue Washington’s plan and discuss Zionist officials.