[Salon] Hamas withdraws from Gaza truce talks after Israeli strike on camp, senior official says

[Chas Freeman <cwfresidence@gmail.com>]

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240714-hamas-withdraws-from-gaza-truce-talks-senior-official-says

Hamas withdraws from Gaza truce talks after Israeli strike on camp, senior official says

Hamas has withdrawn from talks working towards a ceasefire in the Gaza war, according to a senior official from the Palestinian militant group, who said the group's political leader had told international mediators Qatar and Egypt working on a phased proposal since May that the group was halting negotiations over Israel's "continued obstruction" as well as "ongoing massacres against unarmed civilians".

Issued on: 14/07/2024 - 11:51Modified: 14/07/2024 - 11:52

2 min

Palestinian youths look at a covered blood stain on the ground as others reset a tent at the site of Israeli bombardment the previous day at the al-Mawasi displacement camp of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 14, 2024. © Bashar Taleb, AFP

By: FRANCE 24

A senior Hamas official told AFP Sunday that the Palestinian militant group has withdrawn from talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza war because of Israeli "massacres" and its attitude in negotiations.

Another Hamas official said the group's military leader Mohammed Deif was "fine" and working despite Israel's air strike on a southern Gaza camp that it said targeted the wanted Hamas commander on Saturday.

Gaza's health ministry said the attack left 92 dead.

Ceasefire talks suspended

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh told international mediators Qatar and Egypt of the end of the talks on a ceasefire plan first outlined by US President Joe Biden in May, according to the senior official.

The first phase of the deal would have seen a six-week ceasefire with the exchange of most hostages taken in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Haniyeh said Hamas would "halt negotiations due to the occupation's (Israel) lack of seriousness, continued policy of procrastination and obstruction, and the ongoing massacres against unarmed civilians," according to the official.

"Hamas has shown great flexibility to reach an agreement and end the aggression and is ready to resume negotiations when the occupation government demonstrates seriousness in reaching a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner exchange deal." 

Haniyeh said in a statement late Saturday that he had called the mediators and other countries to urge them to put pressure on Israel to halt the attacks.

Mohammed Deif is alive, Hamas says

Israel said Deif, who it considers one of the "masterminds" of the October 7 attacks, was the target of the strikes on the Al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza where tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians from other districts have gathered.

The only existing photograph - undated, but taken before 2000 - of Mohammed Deif, the head of the armed wing of Hamas. © AFP

But Hamas, without confirming that Deif was at the camp, said he was alive and working.

 "Commander Mohammed Deif is well and directly overseeing Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades and resistance operations," the official said, referring to Hamas's armed wing.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)