Hamas issues statement on Gaza ceasefire negotiations as Biden makes latest promise
Gaza City, Gaza - Hamas reiterated that it is ready to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, a senior official in the Palestinian group said Wednesday, hailing the ceasefire that took hold in Lebanon.
"We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey that Hamas is ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious deal to exchange prisoners," the official told AFP, accusing Israel of obstructing a deal until now.
In a statement released later Wednesday, Hamas said "the enemy's acceptance of the agreement with Lebanon without achieving its preconditions marks a significant milestone in shattering (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's illusions of reshaping the Middle East through force".
The group also praised the "pivotal" role of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In the occupied West Bank, which has come under increased attack by Israeli forces and settlers, the Palestinian Authority expressed hope that the ceasefire would bring stability to the region, especially in war-torn Gaza.
"We hope that this step will contribute to stopping the violence and instability that the region is suffering from," the Palestinian presidency said in a statement, highlighting the need to enforce a UN resolution for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Biden's national security advisor touts new diplomatic push
The Biden administration also made noises about relaunching efforts to secure an agreement that would end the ongoing destruction of Gaza and free the remaining hostages taken during the Hamas-led October 7 attacks,
"President Biden intends to begin that work today by having his envoys engage with Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and other actors in the region," national security advisor Jake Sullivan told MSNBC.
"We believe that this is the beginning of an opportunity for a more stable Middle East in which Israel's security is assured and US interests are secured."
In a post on X, Biden specified that the aim was an "an end to the war without Hamas in power."
Washington has regularly presented itself as a crucial broker of peace negotiations, even as it is Israel's biggest military, financial, and diplomatic backer.
All the while, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – now wanted by the International Criminal Court over accusations of war crimes – has repeatedly refused to accept any deal that would not allow him to achieve "total victory" in Gaza.
Israel has killed at least 44,000 Palestinians in an ongoing assault that has crossed the threshold of genocide, according to a growing number of scholars, legal experts, and human rights organizations.
Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire