13 February 2024
Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official in Lebanon, said the Israeli proposal in the context of the talks to release prisoners of war held in Gaza is a “withdrawal from the proposal that was formulated in Paris” and proves that Israel “is not serious about moving forward with the release of the captives,” said a Middle East Monitor report.
According to Hamdan, the Hamas delegation in Cairo discussed Israel’s responses to the proposal put forward in Paris. Hamdan added that Israel “is placing obstacles that make it impossible to reach an agreement.” Israel’s proposal, he explained, “does not guarantee freedom of movement, the return of refugees, or the withdrawal of its forces from the Gaza Strip and does not address the issue of opening the crossings to provide medical treatment to the wounded.”
“[Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu’s behaviour and positions confirm that he is continuing the policy of evasion and procrastination, is not interested in reaching an agreement, and is trying to prolong the war and buy time for personal considerations related to his political future.”
He stressed that “the Hamas movement is committing to its position and was and is still keen to reach an agreement that achieves the cessation of the aggression against our people, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the Gaza Strip, relief for our people, the return of the people to their areas, reconstruction, lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, and completing the prisoner exchange.”
“Netanyahu is continuing his policy of escaping reality and lying to his audience,” Hamdan said. “The truth that the whole world can see is that he is still stuck in the streets of Khan Yunis, haemorrhaging dead and wounded on a daily basis, and withdrawing destroyed vehicles.”
