Hamas reportedly rejects short-term truce proposal, calls for permanent Gaza cease-fire
Birds fly as early morning fog covers heavily-damaged buildings in Deir el-Balah in the centre of the Gaza Strip on October 22, 2024 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP Photo)
A senior Hamas official on Thursday rejected a proposed short-term truce in Gaza, calling instead for a permanent cease-fire to end more than a year of hostilities.
Taher al-Nunu, a senior leader of Hamas, stated the group’s firm stance against a temporary halt in the ongoing Gaza conflict. “The idea of a temporary pause in the war, only to resume aggression later, is something we have already expressed our position on,” Nunu told AFP. “Hamas supports a permanent end to the war, not a temporary one.”
Proposed short-term truce considered by US, Qatar, and Egypt
According to a source familiar with ongoing talks, US, Qatari, and Egyptian negotiators recently discussed a proposal for a short-term truce of “less than a month” that would be presented to Hamas.
The plan reportedly involves an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the goal of achieving a more enduring peace agreement, the source said.
High-level meetings on Gaza cease-fire efforts
The short-term truce proposal emerged following high-level meetings in Doha, where CIA Director William Burns, Mossad Chief David Barnea, and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani discussed potential ceasefire frameworks.
The source, speaking anonymously, said U.S. officials hope that a temporary agreement might pave the way for a longer-lasting peace arrangement.
Nunu confirmed that Hamas has yet to receive a formal proposal but stressed that the group would consider it if presented. However, he reiterated Hamas’s primary demands: a permanent cease-fire, Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the return of displaced residents, adequate humanitarian support, and a comprehensive prisoner exchange.
Sisi and Burns address Gaza and Lebanon ceasefire
In related developments, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met CIA Director Burns in Cairo to discuss the Gaza cease-fire negotiations and Lebanon’s security situation. Sisi highlighted the importance of an immediate truce and humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.
