Report: Hamas Unwilling to Talk 'Further Proposals' as Israel Refuses Withdrawal Demands

Hamas’s political bureau official Bassem Naim said a lot of “misinformation” has been circulated through the media in recent days regarding the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Doha.

He added the Israelis are focusing on only one aspect of the negotiations, the release of captives, and are unwilling to discuss Hamas’s three demands – a permanent end to the war, “total withdrawal” from Gaza and the return of displaced people to their homes.

“Hamas has clearly told the mediators that we cannot accept negotiating any prisoner deal unless the Israelis give these guarantees,” Naim told Al-Jazeera, describing it as “shocking” that the latest Israeli proposals retract points previously agreed on at prior talks.

“Now suddenly, the Israelis are rejecting these. We believe it is not about a ceasefire, it is about Netanyahu using the negotiations as a cover to gain more time to continue his plans for the complete bombardment of the rest of the Gaza Strip, including Rafah, and to relieve international pressure,” Naim continued.

“We told the negotiators tonight we’re not ready to discuss any further proposals. There are talks between the Israelis and the negotiators. There are no talks with us. It is up to the superpower Americans and Europeans to exercise more pressure on Netanyahu not endanger the whole region and undermine any chance of long-term stability, security and prosperity,” he stated.

Another official from Hamas signaled major differences still remain between the Palestinian group and Israel during ongoing talks.

“There is a deep divergence in positions in the negotiations between Hamas and the occupation [Israel] because the enemy understood the flexibility shown by the movement as weakness,” the unnamed official was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue in Doha, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, amid Israel’s ongoing devastating war on Gaza for nearly six months.

Israel has waged a military offensive on Gaza since early October. More than 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave, and over 74,500 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel estimates that there are more than 125 hostages in Gaza, while it holds nearly 9,000 Palestinian prisoners in its jails, according to official sources from both sides.

The military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas has announced that at least 70 captives held in the Gaza Strip have died as a result of Israel’s bombardment of the besieged enclave. The Qassam Brigades spokesman, Abu Obeida, stated on Saturday one more Israeli captive has died because of a lack of food and medicine.

A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel prevailed for a week from November 24 to December 1, 2023, during which there was a cessation of hostilities, prisoner exchanges, and extremely limited humanitarian aid was allowed into the besieged enclave, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.

The Israeli delegation in Qatar refused to withdraw army forces from the Gaza Strip and repatriate displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza “without conditions", according to a report.

Israeli Channel 12 indicated on Saturday that the delegation would return to Israel on Saturday evening. It clarified that the return of delegation members to Israel might indicate a lack of progress in talks.

During discussions in Doha, the delegation stipulated that in the first stage of an exchange deal, 40 hostages from all categories should be released alive, according to the channel.

Israel proposed a limited return of 2,000 displaced Palestinians daily to Northern Gaza, two weeks after a ceasefire would start.

The channel noted the rejection by the delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea, of a request by Hamas to release 30 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life, in exchange for every female soldier. The delegation offered five in return for their release.