Hamas Official Says Group Against Any “Partial” Gaza Deal

Hamas’s chief negotiator declared on Thursday that the Palestinian militant group would not accept any “partial” ceasefire deal in Gaza, signalling rejection of Israel’s latest proposal.

“Partial agreements are used by (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu as a cover for his political agenda… we will not be complicit in this policy,” Khalil al-Hayya said in a televised statement.

He said the group “seeks a comprehensive deal involving a single-package prisoner exchange in return for halting the war, a withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, and the commencement of reconstruction” in the territory.

A senior Hamas official told AFP earlier this week that the group had received a new Israeli proposal to halt the war in Gaza.

The official said the offer includes a truce of at least 45 days in return for the release of 10 living hostages held in Gaza.

It also provides for the release of 1,231 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory, which has been under a complete blockade since March 2.

The proposal calls for a “permanent end to the war” on the condition that Palestinian factions in Gaza including Hamas disarm, the official said.

Hamas has consistently rejected the disarmament demand as a “red line”, describing it as “non-negotiable”.

On Thursday, Hayya reiterated the group’s position on the matter.

“The resistance and its weapons are tied to the presence of the occupation. They are a natural right for our people, and for all peoples living under occupation,” he said.

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