Hamas demands international guarantees to prevent the renewal of the war in Gaza, while Israeli prisoner families express frustration over stalled negotiations, amid Israel’s ongoing military actions.
The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas is demanding international guarantees to prevent the renewal of the war on Gaza, Al-Jazeera reported, citing Israeli media.
Meanwhile, Israeli prisoners’ families have reportedly expressed frustration, stating they feel “forgotten” and that negotiations for a prisoner exchange are not advancing.
According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN), sources involved in the talks revealed that Hamas is seeking a commitment from Israel and international assurances that the violence in Gaza will not resume.
There are also significant disagreements between Hamas and Israel over the timing of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, with Israel not honoring its commitments.
Hamas is also pushing for the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as part of the deal, demands that Israel has rejected.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau, emphasized in a statement the group’s commitment to the ceasefire and the mediators’ latest offer to resolve the crisis. He reiterated that the resistance and its weapons are “essential for our people under occupation.”
‘New Proposal’
In contrast, Israel has stated that it would be willing to engage in indirect talks with Hamas to end the conflict, provided the group agrees to a proposal from US Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff. However, the start date for these talks has not been set.
On March 30, Israel’s Channel 13 reported that Israel had made a new proposal to release half of the prisoners, both living and deceased, in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire in Gaza.
This offer came after Israel rejected a proposal from mediators to release only five prisoners, including Edan Alexander, a captive with both Israeli and American citizenship.
On Sunday, Israeli media reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Israel is prepared to discuss the final phase of the war, but has set conditions, including that Hamas lay down its weapons and allow its leaders to leave Gaza.
Netanyahu also linked the resumption of negotiations to what he described as “voluntary migration” for Palestinians from Gaza, in line with former US President Donald Trump’s plan, and stressed Israel’s desire for security control over Gaza.
Netanyahu claimed that military pressure in Gaza is weakening Hamas’ capabilities and creating conditions for the return of Israeli prisoners. He further mentioned that the Security Cabinet had met and decided to escalate pressure on Hamas.
In response to Netanyahu’s statements, families of Israeli prisoners staged a demonstration in occupied Jerusalem, expressing anger at the lack of progress in negotiations.
In a letter to Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, they stated, “We feel forgotten in the dark, negotiations are not progressing, and the time of the kidnapped is running out.”
Israel estimates there are 59 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 24 of whom are still alive, while more than 9,500 Palestinians are imprisoned by Israel, enduring torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died.
Ongoing Genocide
The renewed Israeli violence on March 18 has broken a ceasefire that began on January 19. The latest military actions have killed hundreds of Palestinians and injured many more, primarily civilians, including women and children.
While the violations have been condemned by numerous countries and human rights groups, the US has continued its support for Israel, asserting that the military campaign was carried out with prior knowledge and approval from Washington.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left Gaza in ruins.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.
(PC, AJA)
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