“Israel still hasn’t met our demands” — Hamas

In the latest developments in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, Hamas has voiced dissatisfaction with Israel’s proposal received through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, stating it falls short of meeting Palestinian factions’ demands.

Despite labeling the proposal as “intransigent,” Hamas has pledged to review it and provide a response to the mediators.

A Hamas official disclosed to Reuters on Monday the group’s rejection of Israel’s ceasefire proposal presented during talks in Cairo.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated plans for an invasion of Rafah, Gaza’s last sanctuary for displaced Palestinians.

Teams from both Israel and Hamas convened in Egypt on Sunday for discussions facilitated by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, alongside CIA Director William Burns.

Burns’s involvement underscored mounting pressure from the United States, Israel’s primary ally, to broker a deal that would secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and deliver aid to Palestinians affected by six months of conflict.

However, senior Hamas official Ali Baraka reaffirmed the group’s stance, stating, “We reject the latest Israeli proposals that the Egyptian side informed us of.”

He confirmed the decision following a meeting of the politburo.

Earlier, another Hamas official, requesting anonymity, informed Reuters that negotiations had not made any headway. “There is no change in the position of the occupation (Israel) and therefore, there is nothing new in the Cairo talks,” the official remarked. “There is no progress yet.”

Israel expressed eagerness to strike a prisoners-for-hostages agreement, wherein it would release Palestinians detained in its prisons in exchange for hostages in Gaza. However, Israel insisted on continuing its military offensive until it invades Rafah.

Hamas’s demands for any agreement include an end to the Israeli military offensive, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and facilitating the return of displaced individuals to their homes across the enclave.

Rafah, identified as the last bastion for displaced Palestinian civilians and Hamas combat units, is the focal point of escalating tensions. With over a million people crammed into the southern city under dire conditions, foreign governments and organizations have warned against an Israeli incursion, fearing a catastrophic outcome.

“We are constantly working to achieve our goals, first and foremost the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas,” Netanyahu asserted.

While he did not specify a date, he emphasized the inevitability of an incursion into Rafah to eliminate what Israel terms as “terrorist battalions.”

Since the seizure of 253 individuals by Hamas on October 7, 133 hostages remain in captivity, with negotiators discussing the release of around 40 hostages in the initial phase of a potential agreement.