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Hamas rejects US accusations, reaffirms commitment to negotiations

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Hamas Media Office
25 Jul 2025 04:13
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Hamas rejects US envoy Steve Witkoff’s claims of bad-faith negotiations, asserting its latest ceasefire response was coordinated with all factions and welcomed by mediators.

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Al-Quds Brigades and al-Qassam Brigades Palestinian Resistance fighters stand in formation ahead of a ceremony to hand over Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Palestine, on February 22, 2025. (AP)

The Palestinian Resistance party Hamas has rejected accusations by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff that it is unwilling to pursue a ceasefire in Gaza, affirming its continued commitment to “serious and responsible” negotiations aimed at ending the Israeli aggression that began on October 7, 2023.

In an official statement early on Friday, Hamas emphasized that it had submitted its latest response to mediators following “extensive consultations with Palestinian factions, friendly countries, and all concerned parties.” The movement said it had shown flexibility throughout the negotiation process, responding positively to suggestions aimed at overcoming obstacles to a “just and comprehensive” agreement.

The group stressed that its priority remains “ending the aggression, lifting the siege, and reaching a stable and lasting agreement that preserves the rights and sacrifices of the Palestinian people.”

US envoy's remarks dismissed as inaccurate

Hamas expressed surprise at Witkoff’s recent remarks, in which he accused the group of lacking seriousness and claimed that its latest response showed it was not interested in de-escalation. Hamas described these comments as “inaccurate” and “not reflective of the truth,” noting that the mediators themselves had “welcomed and expressed satisfaction” with the Palestinian response, in stark contrast to Washington’s portrayal.

The US and Israeli delegations had recently withdrawn from indirect negotiations in Doha, citing what Witkoff described as Hamas’s failure to coordinate a unified Palestinian position. He also criticized the movement for allegedly reversing previously agreed-upon elements of a phased truce.

Focus on aid, withdrawal maps, guarantees

Palestinian sources close to the negotiations told Al Mayadeen that Hamas’ response focused primarily on three issues: securing the regular entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, clarifying the maps of Israeli military withdrawal, and obtaining credible international guarantees to ensure a permanent ceasefire.

Hamas reportedly refused alterations made to the US-backed proposal, which Resistance sources say shrinks a proposed 60-day truce down to just one week without guarantees on prisoner releases, reconstruction, or long-term de-occupation commitments.

Earlier frameworks, initially presented in January and backed by Qatar and Egypt, had included the release of all hostages in stages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees, as well as the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces and international mechanisms for Gaza’s reconstruction. However, the new framework, which bears the imprint of the Netanyahu government and US envoy Steve Witkoff, appears to fall short of those understandings.

Hamas affirms continued engagement

Despite the diplomatic fallout, Hamas reiterated that it remains committed to engaging seriously in the negotiations. “We are determined to reach an agreement that serves our people and ends the aggression,” the movement affirmed in its statement.

The Gaza Strip remains under intensified Israeli bombardment and siege, with the humanitarian situation deteriorating rapidly. Aid access remains intermittent, and ceasefire talks are the only avenue to halting the months-long Israeli military campaign that has displaced over 80% of Gaza’s population and caused unprecedented destruction.