A delegation left the Egyptian capital for Qatar, after two days of negotiations without agreement due to Hamas’ demand that the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip end in exchange for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist movement, a Hamas source said. cited by Al Jazeera.
Israel stressed, however, that it will not give up on its plan to take the Rafah region, a city in the south of the Gaza Strip considered by Israel to be the last stronghold of Hamas, and where more than 1.2 million Palestinians displaced by the conflict that has lasted since October last year, since the Islamist movement attacked Israeli territory, claiming around 1,200 victims and prompting Israeli retaliation in Gaza.
The mediating countries — Qatar, Egypt and the United States — will continue contacts with both parties, despite the departure of the Hamas delegation, according to sources cited by Al Jazeera.
According to the Egyptian Al-Qahera News, which cites a source close to the negotiations, a Hamas delegation will return to Cairo on Tuesday to resume the process.
The head of the US intelligence service (CIA), William Burns, is expected in Doha in the next few hours for meetings with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdelrahmane Al Thani, related to indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, he said A source close to the discussions told AFP, who requested anonymity.
Qatar, where the political wing of Hamas is based, has taken a central role in mediation efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages.
The political leader of the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas, Ismail Haniye, assured that he remains interested in reaching a “comprehensive and interconnected agreement” that puts an end to the war with Israel, but maintained the demand that any pact also guarantee an immediate ceasefire with the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Haniye, who accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “perpetually inventing excuses” such as acts of “sabotage” to prolong the conflict, said Hamas is having “flexibility” to facilitate negotiations.
Netanyahu, in turn, warned today that he will not accept an agreement for the release of Gaza hostages that involves the end of the war or leaving Hamas “intact”.
Netanyahu highlighted the “will shown by Israel” to reach an agreement and recalled that the United States considers the latest proposal “generous”.
“Israel is willing and remains willing to accept a truce in the fighting to free the hostages. That’s what we did when we freed the 124 hostages (in November) and then returned to battle. We are also willing to do it today,” he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said today that Israel has “indications” that Hamas does not want to reach a deal for the release of the hostages and, therefore, the Israeli military offensive on Rafah could begin “in the near future”.
“We have clear objectives for this war: the elimination of Hamas and the release of the hostages,” said Gallant, quoted by the newspaper ‘The Times of Israel’.
The Israeli official said that “alarming signs were detected that Hamas, in fact, has no intention of concluding any type of framework agreement.”
“This means that the operation in Rafah and the Gaza Strip as a whole will take place in the very near future,” he said.
Gallant participated this Sunday in a meeting with military personnel in the Netzarim corridor, in the center of the Gaza Strip and which divides the Palestinian enclave in two.
[Notícia atualizada às 18h27]
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2554351/hamas-deixa-cairo-para-consultas-e-israel-acelera-ofensiva-em-rafah
