Second phase of Gaza deal will be in our favor: Senior Hamas official

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
1 Feb 2025 23:58
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Hamas' representative in Lebanon suggests that "all circumstances and contexts indicate that the ceasefire agreement will continue," even though "Israel" will introduce new conditions.

Hamas' representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, speaks with Al Mayadeen, on February 1, 2025 (Screengrab from Al Mayadeen)

Negotiations regarding the second phase of the prisoner exchange and ceasefire in Gaza "will be difficult, but the atmosphere is in our favor," Hamas' representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, told Al Mayadeen on Saturday.

Abdel Hadi indicated that the Israeli officers and soldiers held captive by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza are a negotiating chip for it.

The senior Hamas official affirmed that the outcomes of the second phase of negotiations "will be more favorable for the Resistance," explaining that "the current atmosphere is more positive than before, which strengthens the Resistance’s position."

"All circumstances and contexts indicate that the ceasefire agreement will continue," even though the Israeli occupation will raise the bar and introduce new conditions, he noted.

In the same context, Abdel Hadi asserted that "there is no indication that the agreement will collapse," noting that US President Donald Trump approved the agreement as part of a strategic vision for his new administration.

Earlier, the Israeli Channel 12 reported that mediators involved in the prisoner exchange deal between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance are exploring the possibility of expediting its implementation.

Ehud Yaari, the channel’s Arab affairs analyst, indicated that the suggestion aims to facilitate larger exchanges within shorter timeframes by merging and streamlining certain phases of the process.

According to Yari, Hamas has expressed willingness to accelerate the prisoner exchange deal.

In a related context, Israeli media reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a meeting Saturday night regarding dispatching a team to Qatar on Monday for talks on completing the deal.

Displacement of Palestinian people from Gaza would not take place

Addressing the issue of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, Abdel Hadi praised the stance of Arab foreign ministers rejecting such plans.

Earlier, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar reaffirmed from Cairo "full and continued support for the Palestinian people’s resilience on their land and their legitimate rights under international law," rejecting "any infringement on these inalienable rights, whether through settlement expansion, forced displacements and home demolitions, land annexation, or displacement efforts that encourage or coerce Palestinians to leave their land under any circumstances or pretexts."

The meeting came after US President Donald Trump floated an idea to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan.

Abdel Hadi underlined that displacement of the Palestinian people from Gaza would not take place, adding, "We rely on our people who remained steadfast in the north [of the strip] when the occupation sought to implement the Generals’ Plan."

The plan, which had been put forward by a group of senior reservists, fundamentally entails the forced displacement of northern Gaza residents and the imposition of a complete siege on the area, including the blockade of humanitarian aid, with the aim of starving out those who remain, including Palestinian Resistance fighters.

The Hamas official further stated that the image projected by the Resistance in Gaza conveys messages that "solidify the outcomes of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, reaffirming that it is the Resistance, not the enemy, that shapes the future of the [Gaza] strip."