Hamas rejects Israeli ceasefire response, sticks to core demands for ending war

(Patria) - The Palestinian group Hamas rejected the Israeli ceasefire proposal, saying it submitted its response to mediators in Egypt and Qatar on Saturday to the proposal it received last Monday, Reuters reported.

After more than six months of war with Israel in Gaza, negotiations remain at a standstill, with Hamas sticking to its demands that any agreement must end the war.

"We affirm our commitment to our demands and the national demands of our people: a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and homes, intensifying the entry of aid, and the start of reconstruction," Hamas stated.

Israel wants to ensure the return of hostages captured by Hamas in its October 7 attack that triggered the war, but says it will not stop fighting until Hamas is destroyed as a military force.

It also stated that it still plans to launch an assault on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, where over a million civilians have taken refuge.

Hamas said on Saturday that it was ready to conclude a prisoner-for-hostage exchange deal with Israel under which 133 hostages believed to be alive in Gaza would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

There was no official Israeli comment on Hamas's response.

Hamas's statement came days after Israel killed several family members of the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, raising fears among hostage families that it would disrupt efforts to secure their release from Gaza.

Speaking to Reuters in Qatar the day after the killings, Haniyeh said his group was still seeking a deal but accused Israel of delaying and evading a response to the group's demands.

Global calls for a ceasefire are growing as the war entered its seventh month, but there are few signs of progress in negotiations.

Hamas is seeking a halt to the Israeli offensive, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and permission for displaced Palestinians from Gaza to return to their homes.