Hamas dismisses short-term truce proposal amid ongoing conflict
Taher al-Nunu, one of the leaders of Hamas, rejected any proposals for a short-term ceasefire in the conflict with Israel, AFP reported on Thursday.
- The idea of a temporary pause in the war, only to resume aggression later, is something we have already expressed our position on. Hamas supports a permanent end to the war, not a temporary one - stated the Hamas representative in an interview with the agency. Al-Nunu heads the organization's press office and served as an advisor to the head of the political bureau of the group.
Negotiations in Qatar
According to AFP, citing a source participating in the negotiations in Qatar, mediators are proposing a suspension of hostilities for less than a month. The proposal includes the release of hostages kidnapped from Israel in October 2023 in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and increased humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
According to al-Nunu, the proposal has not yet been presented to Hamas. He emphasized that the organization does not abandon its previous demands, which include "a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal [of Israeli forces] from Gaza, the return of displaced people, sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza and a serious prisoner exchange deal".
Reports indicate that more than 60 hostages and the remains of 34 people who died during last year's Hamas attack on Israel may still be in the Gaza Strip. These bodies are being used by the organization as a "bargaining chip" in negotiations.
