By Hana Levi Julian – JewishPress.com
Despite US claims that “final” hostage release and ceasefire deal talks in Doha, Qatar “look positive,” the Hamas terrorist organization on Friday rejected the latest proposal agreed upon by Israel with Qatari, Egyptian and US mediators.
Nevertheless, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on Saturday night that Israel’s negotiating team “expressed to the Prime Minister cautious optimism regarding the possibility of progress on the deal, in accordance with the updated American proposal (based on the May 27th framework), including components acceptable to Israel.
“It is hoped that the heavy pressure on Hamas by the United States and the mediators will remove its opposition to the American proposal and will lead to a breakthrough in the talks.”
President Joe Biden likewise expressed optimism in a statement from the White House: “I spoke with the ruler of Qatar and the Egyptian president about the great progress made in the Doha talks over the past two days. I am optimistic about reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. We have an opportunity,” he said.
However, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zahari was far more hoest, saying bluntly in a statement to the AFP news agency that the president’s words “that we are close to a ceasefire agreement are an illusion.”
Hamas has consistently rejected every deal on the table since the initial hostage release and suspension of hostilities last November. During that week-long period, Israel released three incarcerated terrorist prisoners for each hostage freed from Hamas captivity but violated the agreement on the eighth day and has rejected every proposal since. Of the 115 hostages still held by the terror group, intelligence officials have quietly estimated that just 33 remain alive.
Earlier this week a full Israeli delegation was sent to Doha by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for two days of talks (Thursday and Friday) held with the Qatari prime minister, Egyptian intelligence chief and CIA head Bill Burns. The Israeli delegation included Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, IDF Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon and senior Netanyahu political adviser Ophir Falk.
Hamas refused to attend the talks and on Friday immediately rejected the deal agreed upon by Israel and the mediators.
“The movement will not accept anything less than the natural return of displaced people and a prisoner exchange deal without the conditions of the occupation,” a senior Hamas source told AFP.
“The occupation’s delegation has set new conditions as part of its strategy to obstruct the process. Among the occupation’s obstructive conditions is the insistence on keeping military forces in the ‘Philadelphi Corridor.’
“Another obstructive condition of the occupation is the demand for the right to veto the names of prisoners and to exile certain prisoners outside of Palestine,” the source added.
Al-Aqsa TV likewise reported the terror group claimed the proposal under discussion “falls short of the presented ceiling.
“We reject the obstructionist policies that only serve the enemy’s agenda and are being practiced at the expense of the blood of our Palestinian people,” Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha told the news outlet.
VIDEO: A report before the talks
On some level it makes sense for us to try to get the hostages back but of course thereafter to resume fighting. We may make concessions but they must only be temporary to get our citizens back, before returning to the mission of annihilating Hamas.
Because annihilate them we must. They are murdering Nazi psychopaths and if not destroyed they will repeat October 7 over and over. They have said so and it is not necessary to even take them at their word: just to remember their actions. All they do is murder and prepare to murder.
Don’t negotiate with terrorists! You will not get anything you want and they will get everything and come back and do the same thing. I am sorry for the hostages but Hamas and anyone supporting them need to be wiped out and that sends a clear message you want to cause trouble we are going to seek you out to the last person.
Quite silly how they’re running after Hamas for a deal which they know they’re losing out on anyway.
Do not participate in any deals, just get rid of terrorists already!!
When will,the world realize and understand that there’s no real negotiations with hamas. The same with the dems, they don’t ever care about anyone else, and only want their crazy ideology
How many hostages are left nebach…..