Hamas ‘studying’ ceasefire proposal, prioritizes end of Israeli aggression in Gaza

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says it is “studying” a new ceasefire proposal, stressing that its priority is to end the Israeli aggression and a full withdrawal of occupying forces from the besieged Gaza Strip.

Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, said in a press statement on Tuesday that the movement was reviewing a truce plan put forward by senior Qatari and Egyptian officials during recent meetings in France, and would respond soon.

Providing no details on the ceasefire proposal in Paris, Hanieyh said Hamas remains open to negotiations based on any “serious and practical initiatives” on a ceasefire, an exchange of Israeli prisoners in Gaza with Palestinian inmates held by Israel as well as a reconstruction process.

“The movement received the proposal discussed at the Paris meeting and is in the process of studying it and will respond based on the priority of stopping the brutal aggression on Gaza and the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Strip,” the top Hamas official said.

“The movement is open to discussing any serious and practical initiatives or ideas that lead to a comprehensive cessation of aggression and ensure the sheltering of our people, who were forcibly displaced due to the occupation's actions and whose homes were destroyed, as well as ideas that facilitate reconstruction [of Gaza], lift of the siege, and a serious prisoner exchange process that ensures the freedom of our heroic prisoners and ends their suffering,” he added.

Hanieyh confirmed that the movement had received an invitation to visit the Egyptian capital of Cairo in order to reach an “integrated vision” on the Paris proposal, and discuss requirements for implementation of a potential agreement.

The Hamas chief also appreciated the role played by both Egypt and Qatar in efforts aimed at reaching a sustainable ceasefire agreement in Gaza to end the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

In Gaza, famine will be ‘inevitable’ due to UNRWA funding cuts

“Famine was imminent,” and now “inevitable,” said Michael Fakhri, UN special rapporteur on the right to food, on Sunday.

The Israeli regime secured the release of some of the captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners during a weeklong truce that came to an end on December 1.

However, tens of captives are still held by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad while an unknown number have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in recent weeks.

Israel waged the genocidal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas-led resistance groups carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

More than 116 days into the aggression, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its objectives in the Gaza Strip despite killing at least 26,637 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 65,387 others.

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