Hamas denies Yedioth Ahronoth's allegations about pausing talks
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Hamas denied claims made by Israeli media of halted talks, affirming its active role in negotiations and ongoing discussions with mediators.
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An Israeli tank takes position on the Gaza Strip border in southern occupied Palestine, on March 19, 2025. (AP)
Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas refuted claims made by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth regarding the disruption of communications or the halting of negotiations related to a prisoner exchange agreement with "Israel".
The movement emphasized that it "remains fully engaged in the negotiations, is diligently and responsibly working with mediators, and continues to discuss the proposal from US envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, along with other ideas on the table, to secure a prisoner exchange deal that facilitates the release of prisoners, brings an end to the war, and ensures withdrawal."
The Washington Post reported that Egypt and Qatar are intensifying their efforts to persuade "Israel" to halt the war.
At the same time, Arab mediators are urgently working to preserve the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as the occupation resumes its military operations, with Egypt and Qatar advocating for an emergency ceasefire.
In this context, a former Egyptian diplomat said that Cairo and Doha "continue their efforts to persuade Israel to stop the war," adding that these efforts are "useless," describing the situation in this regard as "extremely bleak."
The Egyptian official indicated that the war "is likely to continue unless the United States is prepared to pressure Israel to halt its attacks," according to the newspaper.
'A new Egyptian proposal to Hamas'
The Washington Post also reported that Egyptian mediators have presented a new proposal to Hamas, according to a former Egyptian official with knowledge of the matter.
The official stated that the proposal's details "were not clear" and noted that efforts to urge the Trump administration to break the deadlock "have not yielded much so far."
He also disclosed that Egypt "contacted Washington immediately after Israel resumed strikes on Gaza on Tuesday, but had received no response as of Thursday afternoon."
The Washington Post also noted that Witkoff made an emergency visit to the region last week, "hoping to reach an agreement, or at least negotiate an extension of the first phase of the agreement."
During his visit, Witkoff presented an interim proposal to extend the ceasefire and facilitate the release of five living prisoners, including Aidan Alexander, an American-Israeli who had been serving in the Israeli army on October 7, 2023.
'Israel targets people who negotiate'
Additionally, a source familiar with the negotiations revealed that some of those killed in the Israeli airstrikes last Tuesday were "responsible for maintaining contact with Hamas political officials abroad and fighters inside Gaza who are holding the captives."
The same source added that the issue lies in the fact that by killing these individuals during airstrikes, "Israel was also eliminating those involved in the negotiations."
It is worth noting that on Wednesday, Hamas held the Israeli occupation and its leadership fully responsible for the consequences of the ongoing ground invasion of central Gaza.
In a statement, the movement said that the Israeli occupation's repeated threats to forcibly displace Palestinians reflect the deep crisis facing the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"The Palestinian people will thwart all attempts at forced or voluntary displacement," Hamas asserted, adding: "There is no migration except to al-Quds."
The statement also reaffirmed Hamas' commitment to the ceasefire agreement, calling on mediators to hold "Israel" accountable for its violations and pressure Netanyahu to halt his actions.
