- Hamas says Gaza truce talks must be based on Joe Biden’s plan
- Hamas expressed a willingness to resume negotiations
- But they insist that discussions should be based on President Biden’s May plan rather than any new proposals
- International community calling for Israel and Hamas to negotiate ceasefire and hostage release plans
Hamas says Gaza truce talks must be based on Joe Biden’s plan
Hamas has stated that any ceasefire talks regarding the conflict in Gaza should be based on existing plans rather than introducing new rounds of negotiations. This comes after international mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US urged both Israel and Hamas to participate in ceasefire and hostage release negotiations scheduled for August 15.
Israel has agreed to send a team of negotiators, following a previous breakdown in talks last month when new terms were introduced to a framework initially presented by US President Joe Biden in May.
On Monday, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz issued a joint statement calling for an immediate resumption of talks, emphasising that “there can be no further delay.”
The leaders also urged for a de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, which have heightened since the assassination of senior Hamas and Hezbollah members. In response to these developments, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the deployment of a guided missile submarine to the Middle East, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier already heading to the region.
Iran has vowed to retaliate for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, holding the US responsible due to its support of Israel. In response to pressure from mediators, Hamas expressed a willingness to resume negotiations but insisted that discussions should be based on President Biden’s May plan rather than any new proposals.