Israel obstructs Gaza ceasefire; US no honest broker: Hamas official
A senior Hamas official says the Palestinian resistance movement has been positive and flexible in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks but the Israeli regime has been blocking a deal to end the genocide in the densely-populated territory.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told Al Jazeera Mubasher in an interview that the Israeli occupation "is determined to continue the war, and says clearly that it will continue the war and will not stop it until achieving its strategic goals represented in eliminating Hamas and recovering the captives."
Hamad confirmed that since the beginning of the negotiations late last year, the occupation had not shown seriousness in reaching an agreement, although Hamas has shown "a lot of positivity and flexibility and addressed many obstacles."
Israel’s intransigence is what blocks clinching an agreement, Hamad said. The regime refuses the formula of a permanent ceasefire or a full withdrawal or return (of the population) or otherwise, he added, “so everyone must be convinced that the main problem lies with the occupation.”
‘Israeli forces must fully withdraw’
Hamad said Hamas seeks Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as proposed in the agreements.
He explained that the first phase stipulates a gradual withdrawal of the occupation forces, and the second phase plans a complete withdrawal from all the territories.
Hamad said that "the maneuvers and attempts of the occupation to pressure Hamas and push it to concede have failed miserably and have reached a dead end."
He said "the ball is now in the court of the enemy who tries to exert pressure on Hamas by occupying the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia Corridor and invading Rafah."
‘US only cares about Israel’
Regarding the American position, Hamas said Washington "is not an honest broker." Hamas, he said, relies on mediators from Qatar and Egypt, and communicates with them constantly.
He said it was recognized by everyone that the occupation creates crises, problems, and disturbances everywhere and that the United States is unable to make the regime committed or impose anything on Israel.
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