Hamas says it’s ready for ceasefire
The Palestinian militant movement Hamas has reportedly informed multiple international mediators that it is willing to reach an armistice with Israel, following the announcement of a truce in Lebanon.
The US-brokered ceasefire provides for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon within 60 days and the deployment of the Lebanese army along the border previously held by Hezbollah.
“Hamas appreciates the right of Lebanon and Hezbollah to reach an agreement that protects the people of Lebanon and we hope that this agreement will pave the way to reaching an agreement that ends the war of genocide against our people in Gaza,” Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Wednesday.
Abu Zuhri added that Hamas has shown “high flexibility” and remains “interested in reaching an agreement that ends the war in Gaza,” but that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t seem interested.
An unnamed Hamas official told AFP that the group has informed Egypt, Türkiye and Qatar it is “ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious deal to exchange prisoners.”
The ceasefire would also mean “the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the return of the displaced, and the achievement of a real and complete prisoner exchange deal,” the group said in a statement published earlier on Wednesday.
Netanyahu has presented the Lebanon ceasefire as Hezbollah leaving Hamas in a lurch and allowing Israel to “increase pressure” on Gaza.
“From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own,” the Israeli prime minister said on Tuesday, adding that the main reason for the truce was “to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas.”
“We are of course committed to completing the annihilation of Hamas,” Netanyahu added.
According to Israeli media, two hardliners in Netanyahu’s cabinet – Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich – remain opposed to any ceasefire with Hamas and have been pushing for West Jerusalem to fully occupy Gaza.
Israel declared war on Hamas after the militant group carried out a series of raids from Gaza on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,100 Israelis and another 250 being taken captive. Israel believes that 97 of the hostages are still in Gaza, including the bodies of 34 who have been confirmed dead.
