Jerusalem [Israel], June 5: Specifically, Hamas official Osama Hamdan said that Israel 's response to the mediators regarding the ceasefire proposal that Hamas accepted on May 6 "speaks of opening the door for endless negotiations." about everything", according to AFP.
Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, have been engaged in months of negotiations over the details of the ceasefire and the exchange of hostages and prisoners. Negotiations stalled in early May when Israel began a ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah .
In an effort to revive negotiations, US President Joe Biden said on May 31 that Israel has proposed a new three-phase roadmap.
Mr. Hamdan said at a press conference in Beirut that according to the US President, "the mediating parties guaranteed to continue negotiations indefinitely, until both sides agree."
Mr. Hamdan emphasized that Hamas had told the mediators that they "cannot agree to a deal that does not guarantee... a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip as well as reaching a settlement." agree on a real, serious exchange of prisoners."
Also according to Mr. Hamdan, Israel's failure to agree to such an agreement shows that the country wants to reclaim the hostages and "then continues to be aggressive... they do not want a ceasefire".
"We call on the mediating parties to have a clear position on Israel's occupation, on its commitment to... a permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal of troops," Mr. Hamdan emphasized.
Previous mediation frameworks have failed in the face of Hamas's demands for a permanent ceasefire, while Israel asserts its right to pursue its goal of destroying Hamas.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on June 4 that "we have yet to see a clear position from the Israeli government on the principles set by President Biden", adding that there is no " any specific consent" from both parties.
There is currently no information on the reactions of relevant parties to the statements of Hamas and Qatar.
In an interview with Time magazine published on June 4, President Biden said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be prolonging the Gaza war for political gain.
Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives, currently led by Republicans, has passed a bill imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the ICC prosecutor's decision to seek an injunction. arrest of Israeli officials involved in the Gaza conflict.
The bill would impose sanctions on those involved in ICC prosecutions of Americans or nationals of US allies who are not ICC members. The bill will also prevent ICC officials from entering the US, restricting them from participating in property transactions in the US.
The new bill is not expected to become law, but reflects continued support for Israel in the US House of Representatives amid international criticism of Israel's offensive campaign in the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters. The White House last month criticized the ICC's decision to apply for the above arrest warrant.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said last month that he had reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and three Hamas leaders were "criminally responsible" for crimes and war crimes against humanity. People.
Meanwhile, Mr. Netanyahu said that the ICC prosecutor's decision was unreasonable and that the move targeted all of Israel.
Israel launched a ground and air attack in Gaza in October 2023, vowing to destroy Hamas after Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and capturing more than 250. hostage, according to Israeli statistics. To date there are still about 120 hostages held in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel's military campaign has killed more than 36,000 people in Gaza and thousands of bodies are buried under rubble, according to the Gaza Health Authority.
Event stream: Hamas-Israel
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper