Truce deal in Gaza: Hamas criticizes an “illusion”, Israel expresses “cautious hope”

2024-08-17 18:08:25

It’s a cold day. “To say we are close to a peace agreement is misleading,” a senior Hamas official said on Saturday, after US President Joe Biden said on Friday that an agreement “is not close at all” for the cessation and release of the rebels. .

“We are not facing an agreement or real negotiations, but instead facing the submission of American diktats,” criticized this member of the Hamas political office, Sami Abou Zohri, in a statement to AFP, saying “a big step back” during the the discussion. started in Doha (Qatar) from Wednesday.

For their part, when they returned from the talks, the Israeli negotiators “expressed their sincere hope”, hoping that “a significant influence from the United States and mediators on Hamas will make it possible to raise its opposition to the American proposal”. This “includes elements that are acceptable to Israel”, indicates a press release from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

VideoBiden said liberating Gaza could prevent Iran from attacking Israel

These new talks, carried out at the call of the mediator countries – Qatar, the United States and Egypt – are based on the plan announced on June 31 by Joe Biden, the first part of which provides for the next six weeks of withdrawal with an evacuation of Israel densely populated area of ​​Gaza, and the release of hostages – kidnapped when Hamas attacked – against the arrest of prisoners held by Israel.

Talks “vital for global stability”

If “there is much to be done” according to John Kirby, spokesman for the United States National Security Council, these talks are a “promising start”, then he announced this Friday. The obstacles “can be overcome and we must reach a solution,” added John Kirby, specifying that “communists must be released, there must be rest for the Palestinians in Gaza, security for Israel and a reduction of tensions in environment, and all this as quickly as possible. “

These talks in Doha are “important for global stability”, explained the head of British diplomacy, David Lammy. French diplomat Stéphane Séjourné, then visiting Lebanon, considered a settlement in Gaza “essential” to guarantee peace in the Middle East. However, Hamas, through a senior official in Doha, asked for more last Thursday, believing that “any agreement must lead to the end of the world, to the complete withdrawal (of Israel) from Gaza, (and) the return of the people forced to.”