HAMAS loses faith in the US as a mediator regarding Gaza - Media.

HAMAS loses faith in the US as a mediator in the Gaza ceasefire

The HAMAS group is losing faith in the ability of the US to act as a mediator in the Gaza ceasefire ahead of a new round of negotiations scheduled for this week. This was stated by senior HAMAS official Osama Hamdan. According to him, HAMAS will only participate if the negotiations focus on the implementation of the proposal presented by US President Joe Biden in May of this year and approved at the international level.

HAMAS is particularly resisting Israel's demand to maintain a permanent military presence in two strategic areas of Gaza after the ceasefire, the terms of which were made public only in recent weeks. "We have informed the mediators that... any meeting should be based on discussing implementation mechanisms and setting deadlines, not negotiating something new. Otherwise, HAMAS sees no reason to participate," said Hamdan, who is a member of the terrorist organization's politburo, which includes the group's main political leaders.

Subsequently, both sides proposed changes, leading each to accuse the other of obstructing the deal. On Wednesday evening, it was unclear whether HAMAS would participate in the negotiations starting already today, Thursday.

Hamdan's interview took place amidst new efforts to end the war ignited by the attack on Israel on October 7, during which militants led by HAMAS killed 1200 people and took about 250 hostages to Gaza. Israel responded with devastating bombings and a ground invasion, resulting in the deaths of around 40,000 Palestinians and the devastation of vast areas of territory. Now there are concerns that the conflict may escalate into a full-scale war.

Source: RBC-Ukraine