Cease-Fire Talks in Trouble, Hamas Official Losing Faith in US Mediator
A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, expressed skepticism regarding the United States’ role in mediating a cease-fire in Gaza as new talks approach. He stated that Hamas would only join discussions if they focused on implementing a proposal made by President Joe Biden in May, which Hamas had tentatively accepted but was later disputed by Israel. Both parties have been accused of obstructing the negotiation process due to differing interpretations and additional conditions, particularly Israel’s demand for a military presence in strategic areas of Gaza post-ceasefire. Hamdan emphasized that any upcoming meetings should center on actionable plans and deadlines rather than renegotiating terms. The backdrop to these tensions includes a recent escalation in violence following a major Hamas-led attack on October 7 that resulted in significant casualties and hostages, raising concerns about further conflict in the region. It remains uncertain if Hamas will take part in the upcoming talks.
A top Hamas official said the terrorist group is losing faith in the United States’ ability to mediate a cease-fire in Gaza ahead of a new round of talks scheduled for this week amid mounting pressure to bring an end to the 10-month war with Israel.
Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday that Hamas will only participate if the talks focus on implementing a proposal detailed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May and endorsed internationally.
The U.S. referred to the proposal as an Israeli proposal, and Hamas agreed to it in principle, but Israel said that Biden’s speech was not entirely consistent with the proposal itself. Both sides later proposed changes, leading each to accuse the other of obstructing a deal.
Hamas is especially resistant to Israel’s demand that it maintain a lasting military presence in two strategic areas of Gaza after any cease-fire, conditions that were only made public in recent weeks.
“We have informed the mediators that … any meeting should be based on talking about implementation mechanisms and setting deadlines rather than negotiating something new,” said Hamdan, who is a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau, which includes the group’s top political leaders and sets its policies. “Otherwise, Hamas finds no reason to participate.”
It was not clear late Wednesday if Hamas would attend the talks beginning Thursday.
Hamdan spoke amid a new push for an end to the war, sparked by the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in which Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and dragged about 250 hostages into Gaza.
There are now fears that the conflict could ignite a wider conflagration.
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