Hamas: No talks unless Israel stops its aggression on Gaza

CAIRO – 25 December 2023: Hamas will not negotiate with Israel unless the latter stops its aggression against the Gaza Strip, said Hamas leader Izzat al-Rishq in a statement on Monday.

He added that Hamas leadership seeks with all forces to stop the aggression and massacres against the Palestinians completely not temporarily.

A delegation of the Palestinian Jehad Movement led by the movement’s Secretary General Zeyad Nakhala arrived in Egypt Sunday to discuss the conditions in Gaza Strip.

Egypt has presented to Israel and the Hamas a new proposal for a prisoner exchange deal, consisting of three stages, Israeli Channel 13 reported an Israeli official, on Sunday.

The first phase includes that Hamas has to release about 40 Israeli detainees, including women, the sick, and elderly men, in exchange for a ceasefire for two or three weeks.

In the second stage, Hamas releases female soldiers and bodies, in exchange for Israel releasing prisoners and agreeing to a truce. Meanwhile, third stage includes that Hamas releases Israeli men and soldiers, in exchange for releasing Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, and reaching a comprehensive ceasefire.

However, the Palestinian movements of Jehad and Hamas said that no negotiations on any prisoner swap deal without a complete ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza. They also insist on releasing all Israeli captives for all Palestinian prisoners who are inside Israeli prisons.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Monday that since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 20,674 people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and injured 54,536 other Palestinians.