Before agreeing to any ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip, Hamas wants assurances from the US that Israeli forces will not launch a ground attack on Rafah. Osama Hamadan, the senior spokesman of the Palestinian independence organization Hamas, said this. Qatar-based media Al Jazeera gave the news in a report.
Osama Hamadan said, “We are still talking about the main issues, and they are — a complete ceasefire and a complete (Israeli) withdrawal from Gaza.” Unfortunately, there has been a clear statement from Netanyahu that, cease-fire or not, he will continue the ground operation in Rafah. And this means – there will be no ceasefire.
The Hamas spokesman added, “We understand that the ceasefire has been reached, and there will be no more attacks anywhere in Gaza, including Rafah.”
Doubts have arisen about the future of the ceasefire mainly in the statement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Last week, he said the Israeli military would launch a ground operation in Rafah regardless of a cease-fire deal with Hamas in Gaza.
In a statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu said, “The idea that we will end the war before achieving all the goals of the war is unquestionable.” With or without a cease-fire agreement with Hamas in Gaza, we will enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalions there to achieve total victory.’
A source close to the ceasefire talks told Palestinian news outlet Al-Quds on condition of anonymity that the coalition, which includes Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, hopes to reach an agreement aimed at a ceasefire in Gaza within the next few days. To this end, the region’s ruling group Hamas will soon agree to a ceasefire proposal brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar.
The source said there are still several minor conditions to reach a ceasefire. In particular, the flexibility of the Israeli side, concessions not to implement the ceasefire before reaching an agreement raised by the Palestinian groups to negotiate a permanent ceasefire, proof of the survival of Israeli army officers captured by Hamas, etc., may start the negotiation of this agreement soon.
Separately, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the ceasefire proposal currently being negotiated was “too easy for Hamas to accept” and should be accepted by Hamas. Blinken said, “We are waiting to see if they (Hamas) actually say yes to the ceasefire and the release of the hostages.” The reality at the moment is that the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.’