Biden remarks on captives 'setback' for ceasefire negotiations: Hamas

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 May 2024 19:22
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Hamas says Biden's stance once again confirms the US bias toward the "criminal policy led" by the Nazi-like Israeli government.

Demonstrators hang a Palestinian flag out a window at the Washington Hilton Hotel, at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Washington. (AP)

Hamas said Sunday it followed "with dismay" the remarks made by President Biden that a ceasefire in Gaza would be possible if the movement released the Israeli captives, calling the statements a "setback" to negotiations.

"We condemn this position by the US President, which we consider a setback from the outcomes of the latest round of negotiations, which led to the movement's agreement to the proposal put forward by mediators" in Egypt and Qatar, with the knowledge and oversight of the American mediator, Hamas expressed in a statement.

Biden claimed on Saturday that a ceasefire in Gaza would be possible "tomorrow" if Hamas released the captives it held on October 7.

"Israel said it's up to Hamas, if they wanted to do it, we could end it tomorrow. And the ceasefire would begin tomorrow," the US President told the crowd of about 100 people at a fundraiser outside Seattle.

Meanwhile, Hamas affirmed that it has shown the necessary flexibility at all stages of the talks to halt the Israeli aggression and move toward achieving an agreement.

This approach, according to the movement, was crowned by agreeing to the latest proposal, before Netanyahu and his government "rushed to overturn" this course by launching their aggression on the Palestinian people in Rafah, Jabalia, and Gaza while also disregarding the lives of Israeli captives.

Hamas also accused the Israeli occupation government of "escalating their brutal massacres in various areas of the Gaza Strip" and "reaffirming their pursuit of continuing the genocidal war in Gaza."

The statement pointed out that Biden's stance once again confirms the US bias toward the "criminal policy led" by the Nazi-like Israeli government and the United States' continued political cover and military support for the Israeli genocidal war waged against the Palestinian people.

Elsewhere, Hamas said that Biden's remarks give the Israeli occupation forces more time to complete its destruction, killing, and annihilation operations in the Gaza Strip.

The US President warned "Israel" that his administration would stop supplying artillery shells and other weapons if its forces attacked the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, admitting that Palestinian civilians had been killed by the dropping of US bombs.

However, Israeli occupation forces invaded the eastern part of Rafah, in defiance of US and international warnings, and occupied the main Rafah crossing with Egypt despite Hamas accepting the ceasefire proposal presented by the mediators during negotiations.