Smoke
rises following an explosion in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between
Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, near the Israel-Gaza
border, as seen from Israel, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Amir Cohen Purchase Licensing Rights
Hamas says it is ready for a 'complete agreement' if Israel stops war
May
30 (Reuters) - Hamas said on Thursday it had told mediators it would
not take part in more negotiations during ongoing aggression but was
ready for a "complete agreement" including an exchange of hostages and
prisoners if Israel stopped the war.
Talks,
mediated by among others Egypt and Qatar, to arrange a ceasefire
between Israel and the Islamist movement in the Gaza war have repeatedly
stalled with both sides blaming the other for the lack of progress.
The
latest Hamas statement came as Israel pressed on with an offensive on
the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite an order by the International
Court of Justice (ICJ), the top U.N. court, to halt the attacks.
"Hamas
and the Palestinian factions will not accept to be part of this policy
by continuing (ceasefire) negotiations in light of the aggression,
siege, starvation and genocide of our people", the Hamas statement read.
"Today,
we informed the mediators of our clear position that if the occupation
stops its war and aggression against our people in Gaza, our readiness
(is) to reach a complete agreement that includes a comprehensive
exchange deal," it added.
Israel
has rejected past Hamas offers as insufficient and said it is
determined to wipe out a group bent on its destruction. It says its
Rafah offensive is focused on rescuing hostages and rooting out Hamas
fighters.
Nearly
36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive across all
of Gaza, the health ministry there says. Israel launched the operation
after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7
last year, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250
hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Reporting by Ahmed Tolba, Writing by Yomna Ehab, Editing by Andrew Heavens