Gaza ceasefire possible but Netanyahu blocking talks: Hamas official
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Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi says Gaza ceasefire is possible but Netanyahu is blocking talks, as critics inside “Israel” and abroad accuse him of prolonging the war.
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Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi in an interview with Al-Mayadeen on May 17, 2025 (Screengrab)
A senior Hamas official has said that a comprehensive ceasefire deal for Gaza is within reach, but “Israel’s” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberately obstructing negotiations to prolong the war.
Mahmoud Mardawi, liberated Palestinian prisoner and a senior member of Hamas’ political bureau, stressed on Saturday that the movement has accepted the proposals mediated by Egypt and Qatar, which were also backed by the United States.
He accused Netanyahu of refusing to send a negotiating team and instead resorting to contradictory statements aimed at wasting time.
“A comprehensive agreement is entirely possible, but it is Netanyahu who is preventing it from happening. He wants to continue the war in order to achieve his political goals inside the occupied territories,” Mardawi said.
Hamas’ position on ceasefire proposals
According to Mardawi, Hamas has no reservations about any plan that ensures the cessation of the Israeli aggression, a prisoner-exchange deal involving Palestinian detainees and Israeli captives, the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of Gaza under a Palestinian-led framework.
He added that the group is committed to stopping Israeli atrocities and alleviating the humanitarian catastrophe, accusing the occupation of deliberately targeting civilians, bombing food warehouses, and destroying water wells to worsen famine conditions in Gaza.
The Hamas official pointed out that even Israeli media outlets have documented multiple cases where Netanyahu personally blocked or stalled negotiations. Channel 10 reported that the Prime Minister has derailed attempts to reach an agreement at least five times.
This aligns with accusations made by a wide range of figures, both within the entity and abroad, who have said Netanyahu is obstructing progress. For example, Benny Gantz, a former war cabinet member and leader of the National Unity party, directly accused Netanyahu of “sabotaging negotiations” to safeguard his coalition.
Netanyahu consistently accused of sabotaging talks
Opposition leader Yair Lapid likewise condemned Netanyahu’s ceasefire conditions as “provocative messages,” while former Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan charged that Netanyahu, alongside Smotrich and Ben Gvir, consistently undermined talks, placing political survival above the lives of soldiers and captives.
In addition, Israeli military and intelligence chiefs reportedly warned Netanyahu that stalling could endanger the lives of captives, yet he dismissed these warnings. Families of Israeli captives in Gaza have also spoken out, accusing him of deliberately blocking several viable prisoner-exchange deals in order to maintain his political standing.
Internationally, the chorus of criticism has grown louder. Senior US officials acknowledged that Netanyahu prolonged the Gaza war for personal political gain, facing little pressure from Washington to change course.
Additionally, Egyptian mediators expressed frustration, accusing him of being willing to “burn Israel for his own interests,” while French President Emmanuel Macron personally urged him to end the bombardment of Gaza and move toward a ceasefire.
The Hamas official called on world powers not to limit themselves to issuing reports but to take concrete measures against the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“The world is facing a real test of humanity and civilization. The occupying regime must be punished for its crimes in Gaza. It is also necessary to pressure the US to stop supporting Netanyahu’s policies,” Mardawi concluded.
