Hamas signals shift on key Gaza truce demand

GAZA – A Hamas official said on July 7 the Palestinian Islamist group was ready to discuss a hostage release deal with Israel even without a “complete” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The apparent easing of Hamas’ position comes as long-stalled diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage release have gathered pace with a new proposal and meetings hosted by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

“Hamas had previously required that Israel agree to a complete and permanent ceasefire,” the top Hamas official told AFP, as the war entered its 10th month.

But mediators have offered assurances “that as long as the... negotiations continued, the ceasefire would continue”, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Israel, which vowed to destroy Hamas in response to

the group’s Oct 7 attack that sparked the war

, has repeatedly rejected demands for a permanent ceasefire.

US President

Joe Biden outlined a plan in late Ma

y that included an initial six-week truce and the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel.

Talks quickly stalled, but a US official said on July 4 that a new response from Hamas “moves the process forward and may provide the basis for closing the deal”.

Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News said late on July 6 that Cairo was “hosting Israeli and American delegations” and mediators were in contact with Hamas amid “intensive Egyptian meetings this week with all parties”.

In Israel, anti-government protesters demanding a hostage release deal blocked traffic in the commercial hub of Tel Aviv on a

nationwide “disruption day” from 6.29am

(11.29am Singapore time), the time Hamas launched its attack on Oct 7.

Data scientist Yoni Peleg, 34, said protesters were crying “out for help... to end the war” and pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

Israel has said it would send a delegation to continue talks with Qatari mediators, though a government spokesman said on July 5 there were still “gaps” with Hamas.

An official with knowledge of the mediation said US Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns would also go to Qatar this week.

A statement on July 7 from Mr Netanyahu’s office

said that “any deal will allow Israel to return and fight until all the goals of the war are achieved”.

Hamas’ Oct 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Hamas also seized 251 hostages, according to Israel. Of the 116 hostages who remain in Gaza, 42 are believed by the Israeli army to be dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 38,153 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. AFP