BEIRUT, (PIC)
The Hamas leader, Osama Hamdan, announced that the Movement’s position has not changed since the beginning of the negotiations last January, stressing that there will be no return to negotiations before the cessation of aggression, the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the return of the displaced, and the commitment to the decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He told Al-Jazeera on Saturday evening that there is no development regarding the negotiations, and that the Movement has not been informed of anything in this regard, describing the Israeli talk about the return to negotiations as an attempt to escape the ICJ decision and to acquit the United States of participating in the genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that the ICJ decision ordering a halt to the Israeli military operations in the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip requires the approval of the UN Security Council which may force the United States to use the veto to prevent its endorsement and strengthen its participation in the crime, as he put it.
Hamdan stressed that the Israeli talk about the return to negotiations is not serious, and that what is required now is the cessation of aggression and the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the enclave in implementation of the ICJ decision, the entry of aid, and then negotiations will start again.
He said that the matter does not need a new negotiation because the Movement agreed to a proposal made by the mediators after the Israeli approval of it, and therefore the correct step is for the Israeli side to abide by this paper and withdraw its forces and allow the entry of aid to Gaza.
Hamdan warned that the idea of introducing modifications to the proposal means granting the Israelis more time to continue their aggression on one hand, and assisting them in evading the ICJ decision that will be presented to the UN Security Council on the other hand.
Hamdan affirmed that the Movement has not been officially notified of any new developments, and that it does not expect the mediators to explore new ideas after Israel rejected the previous paper that was agreed upon despite all the guarantees it contained. He said that the lack of serious guarantees means granting Israel an opportunity to continue its aggression.
He stressed that the negotiation on the prisoner exchange will not take place before the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the entry of aid, and the return of the displaced to their areas in the north of the Strip, in compliance with what was agreed upon before the aggression on Rafah.
Israeli and American media outlets had spoken of a return to negotiations in the coming week, and quoted Israeli officials as saying that Tel Aviv is ready to discuss a sustainable truce because time is running out regarding the captives.
