Hamas: No hostage exchange until ceasefire is declared

(Patria) - The exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages in Gaza can only be carried out after a ceasefire, said Hamas official Osama Hamdan, as negotiations in Cairo between the militant group, Egypt, and Qatar are currently unsuccessful.

Hamdan reiterated his group's conditions for an agreement at a press conference in Beirut - an end to the Israeli military offensive, withdrawal of soldiers from the Gaza Strip, and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes.

The movement presented its position on the given proposal by the brotherly mediators Qatar and Egypt in the past two days.

- We reiterated our conditions for a ceasefire - a full withdrawal from the Strip and the return of the displaced, especially to the north - Hamdan said.

The humanitarian situation is particularly difficult in that area. Hundreds of thousands of residents are believed to still be there despite Israel's evacuation orders.

The United Nations has been unable to deliver humanitarian aid to the north since January 23. Israeli authorities have denied access to UN convoys, which Israeli soldiers have fired upon, Reuters reports.

The US, Israel's biggest supporter in military and diplomatic aid, carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid in Gaza on Saturday.

Hamdan told reporters that they are telling Washington that stopping the supply of weapons to Israel is more important than sending aid.