Hamas Ponders Ceasefire Talks After Trump Victory And Israel’s Attacks (Worthy News Focus)
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – With losses mounting and its senior leadership all but destroyed, Hamas, or what is left of it, has called for “an immediate end to Israel’s war” against the group and said it was now “studying proposals.”
The comments reviewed by Worthy News late Thursday come just days after staunchly pro-Israel former President Donald J. Trump was re-elected.
Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and helped negotiate the Abraham Accords, normalizing Arab–Israeli ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain.
Analysts say Trump forged a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is today engaged in a multifront war against the Iran-aligned “Axis of Resistance” that began with a large-scale Hamas-led attack against Israel in October 2023.
However, Trump has also expressed criticism of Netanyahu’s wartime leadership and has called for a timely end to the conflict.
Yet, “The election of Trump as the 47th president of the USA is a private matter for the Americans,” Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Basem Naim said in published remarks.
He stressed that Palestinians “look forward to an immediate cessation of the aggression against our people, especially in Gaza.”
LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE
They also “look for assistance in achieving their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and the establishment of their independent self-sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
His remarks seemed to suggest some flexibility for a deal after Hamas earlier said a ceasefire deal should include a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, despite Israel’s refusal to do so.
“The movement has confirmed it is open to any deal or ideas that ends the suffering of our people in Gaza and achieve a permanent ceasefire and the occupation’s withdrawal from all of Gaza Strip,” said Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas spokesman earlier.
He also stressed that an accord must end the Israeli-led “blockade” of the coastal enclave, allow “unrestricted relief aid” and a reconstruction of Gaza.
Additionally, the group seeks to achieve a swap of Israeli hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Hamas is believed to still hold 101 hostages in Gaza, although dozens of them have since died, according to U.S. and Israeli sources.
Relatives expressed concern about their loved ones after Israel’s military last month killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, seen as the architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel that killed 1,200 people while hundreds were kidnapped.
US CONCERNED
However, Hamas has now indicated it is open for talks after the U.S. State Department said on Monday that Hamas had rejected a proposal for a short-term ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Earlier, the deal collapsed as it refused to budge from its key demand for a permanent withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
Their rejection came even after the Israeli military killed its leader Sinwar.
The rejection had reportedly led Israeli negotiators to warn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a deal would remain unattainable unless he showed some flexibility in negotiations.
However, Netanyahu said he seeks the destruction of Hamas and the release of all remaining hostages.
Israel fears a withdrawal could give remnants of Hamas and their allies time to regroup and attack the Jewish nation again.
With Trump on his way to the White House and Israel pounding positions of Hamas in Gaza and its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon, talks may resume soon.
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