Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday (Dec 21) said that the possibility of reaching a ceasefire deal with Israel is “closer than ever” if the enemy stops setting new conditions.
The delegation of leaders from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine met on Friday in Cairo to discuss the ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
All these three groups have been holding hostages throughout Gaza.
The Hamas statement read that the factions “stressed everyone’s keenness to stop the aggression against our people”, apparently referring to its demand for a permanent ceasefire.
The key area of disagreement in the talks is the nature of the ceasefire deal, with Hamas demanding a permanent end to the fighting, while Israel is seeking a temporary pause during which some of the hostages would be released followed by a resumption of its fighting.
This has been demanded in order to finish demolishing the Palestinian group’s military and governing capabilities, an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel.
Israel has sought an agreement that “ends the military operation”. Meanwhile, Hamas is insisting that the text states that the ceasefire will “end the war”.
The statement further read that all the sides appreciated the Egyptian effort to strike a reconciliation deal between the various Palestinian factions.
Watch | Israel-Hamas War: 34 Hostages Could Be Released In First Phase, Says Hamas Official
The delegation is scheduled to hold another meeting as soon as possible.
Earlier this week, Hamas said that talks in Qatar’s Doha aimed at a truce and hostage-prisoner exchange in Gaza were “serious and positive.”
Israel and Hamas have been fighting a war in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. Since the Gaza war began, Qatar, along with the United States (US) and Egypt, has been working for months to secure a truce and hostage release deal.
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(With inputs from agencies)