No 'compromise' in Gaza truce talks: Hamas

FE Team | Published: March 09, 2024 23:38:33

JERUSALEM, Mar 09 (AFP/BBC): Hamas's armed wing said Friday there would be no compromise on the movement's demand that Israel withdraw from Gaza to secure the release of hostages seized in the October 7 attack.
"Our top priority to reach a prisoner exchange deal is the complete commitment for the halt of aggression and an enemy withdrawal, and there is no compromise on this," Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said in a televised statement.
The statement came as hopes dimmed for a new truce in the five-month-old war between Israel and Hamas triggered by the Palestinian Hamas' unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7.
Mediators had been scrambling to lock in a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is set to begin as early as Sunday depending on the lunar calendar.
On Thursday, Hamas's delegation voiced dissatisfaction with Israeli responses to its demands and left the latest round of talks in Cairo for consultations with the movement's leadership in Qatar.
Hamas has been demanding that Israel withdraw from Gaza, which Israel has refused to do. Hamas seized about 250 hostages in the October 7 attack, some of whom were released during a week-long truce in November.
Israel believes 99 hostages remain alive in Gaza and that 31 have died. Any new truce deal was expected to involve the exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israel's retaliatory military campaign to destroy Hamas has killed at least 30,878 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
Abu Obeida on Friday also called for "our people" to mobilise and "crawl" towards the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, a flashpoint for violence during Ramadan in past years.
Biden says Gaza ceasefire by
Ramadan 'looking tough'
US President Joe Biden warned Friday that it would be "tough" to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
"It's looking tough," Biden told reporters when asked if a deal to halt the five-month-old conflict could be achieved by Ramadan, which is due to start as early as Sunday depending on the sighting of the moon.
Biden added that "I sure am" worried about the possibility of violence in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as Ramadan approaches, adding to a similar warning earlier this week.
Hamas's armed wing on Friday urged supporters to mobilize towards the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in east Jerusalem, a flashpoint for violence during Ramadan in past years.
Sweden, Canada resume funding
for UN agency for Palestinians
Sweden and Canada have said they will resume aid payments to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. They were among 16 countries that paused funds after Israel accused at least 12 UNRWA staff of involvement in the 7 October attack by Hamas.
The UN is investigating, and France's foreign minister is leading a review. Sweden said on Saturday that it would send 200 million kronor (£15m; $19m) initially, after UNRWA agreed to more checks on its spending and staff.