hamas-open-to-talks-as-protests-against-war-continue

Dr Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, has stated that the group is ready to negotiate with Israel and mediators Egypt and Qatar to achieve its goals responsibly.

 

His remarks follow Israel’s continued bombardment of the occupied territory since last Tuesday.

 

“We affirm our readiness to continue working and negotiating responsibly to achieve our goals,” Hayya said.

 

The latest statement came hours after al-Hayya accused Israel of reneging on the truce agreement it signed with Hamas in January.

 

“Over the past period, we received several proposals and initiatives, and we dealt with them positively and responsibly to achieve our goals of a complete cessation of aggression against our people in Gaza, ensuring a full withdrawal from the Strip, exchanging prisoners, rebuilding, and ending the blockade,” he said.

 

“However, the Zionist occupation reneged on the agreement it signed with us and the mediators, refusing to move to the second phase and once again resuming its aggression against our people,” he had said earlier.

Also read: Gaza strikes kill 23 overnight, including children

 

Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its operations in Gaza, aiming to exert pressure on Hamas for the release of hostages and the cessation of hostilities.

 

Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has threatened to annex the territory captured during the war if Hamas refuses to release the hostages.

 

At the same time, thousands of Palestinians have taken part in rare protests against Hamas, demanding an end to the war with Israel as the humanitarian crisis worsens.

 

The demonstrations, which began on Wednesday, continued for a second day, with protesters calling for an end to hostilities and the release of hostages.

 

Earlier, Jordanian authorities signalled their intent to expel Hamas political leaders, along with members of its armed resistance wing from Gaza, in a move seen as a step towards facilitating the peace process.

 

The Gaza Health Ministry, which the United Nations considers credible, reported that more than 600 people, including 164 confirmed children, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since the resumption of conflict.