Hamas says engaging with full responsibility with Gaza truce proposals
4 Min Read
Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi says the group is "engaging positively" with any proposal based on halting the war and the withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza.
-
Palestinian rescuers and residents gather on the rubble after an Israeli strike on the Manoun family home in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 13, 2025 (AFP)
Hamas' delegation is in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discuss ending the Israeli war on Gaza, reopening the crossings, and activating the community support committee to manage Palestinian affairs and unify institutions, Mahmoud Mardawi, a senior official within the movement, said on Sunday.
"We are engaging positively and with full responsibility with any proposal based on halting the aggression and the withdrawal of occupation forces" from the Gaza Strip, Mardawi posted on his channel on Telegram.
The official stressed that the Palestinian group will not accept a fragmented approach limited to a prisoner deal in exchange for food, only to see massacres resume afterward.
"We will not be broken," he underscored.
Hamas announced on Saturday that its negotiating delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, has departed for the Egyptian capital, Cairo, in response to an official invitation from Egypt.
In a statement, Hamas said the delegation would meet with Qatari and Egyptian mediators to continue efforts aimed at reaching an agreement and securing a ceasefire to end Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The movement affirmed its positive engagement with any proposals that guarantee a permanent ceasefire, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, and the conclusion of a serious prisoner exchange deal.
A senior Palestinian official had told Al Mayadeen that new proposals have been put forward in an effort to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
In March, "Israel" reneged on a ceasefire that brought two months of relative calm and resumed its war on the Gaza Strip.
Despite stalemate, ceasefire talks ongoing: Israeli media
Last week, sources informed "Israel’s" Kan Channel that indirect negotiations between the Israeli occupation and Hamas are quietly ongoing, despite what appears to be a deadlock.
Talks in recent days have been held under strict secrecy, with no media involvement, to facilitate progress behind the scenes, the report claimed.
According to the sources, proposals have included the release of 10 Israeli captives, along with Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American dual national.
Egypt is currently serving as the lead mediator in this phase of the negotiations. The latest Egyptian proposal, submitted to "Israel" a couple of weeks ago, calls for the release of eight living captives—more than previously agreed upon by Hamas in earlier rounds.
The official Israeli position still aligns with US mediator Steve Witkoff’s proposal, which demands the release of 11 living captives and the remains of 16 deceased individuals.
"Israel" has received Egypt's updated proposal for a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The deal revolves around the release of eight living captives from the Gaza Strip in exchange for a truce that lasts between 40 and 70 days. Captives would be released in stages.
In detail, the proposal includes guarantees for a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip. It would also allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and allow the entry of humanitarian aid.
According to reports, the Egyptian deal also guarantees that negotiations begin for a second phase of the agreement.
Read more: Gaza's health system teeters after Baptist hospital bombing: Exclusive
