DOHA (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Mahmoud Merdawi, a leader in Hamas, said on Tuesday that “the Movement has been open at all stages to reach an agreement (concerning Gaza), and this has been a top priority for the Movement as a national concern to eliminate the enemy’s justifications for the continued genocide, starvation, and displacement, and to allow our people, after finalizing the deal, to return from their displacement to their homes, or what remains of them, as well as the withdrawal of the Israeli army, rebuilding, and providing aid.”
Merdawi added in press statements that “the Movement seeks to reach an honorable deal, has been pushing towards achieving it, and has not obstructed it at all. Every offer presented to the resistance and the Movement has been studied, and answered. The Hamas officials surprised the mediators with their ability to deal flexibly with all proposals.”
He pointed out that “the enemy is hesitant to fulfill the obligations of any deal, namely the withdrawal, the return of the displaced, and the aid and reconstruction. These matters are the minimum.” He added that Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu “is still maneuvering and submits to the will of the religious-national political current, which threatens to bring down the government if it moves towards finalizing the deal.”
Merdawi clarified that “the Movement’s assessments indicate that Israel has not yet made a decision regarding the agreement including a prisoner exchange deal.” He said, “We hope that the pressure from elected U.S. President Donald Trump will yield results, and it seems there is a regional desire in this direction.”
He added that Netanyahu is not serious about finalizing a deal, but there are now factors of pressure and influence that are not yet ripe.
Merdawi revealed that “the Israeli side, represented by Netanyahu, had agreed last January to a deal that the resistance and mediators considered acceptable, but he retracted at the last moment, and it then fell through. This was confirmed by the member of the war council at that time, Gadi Eisenkot.”
“Netanyahu is now cornered and has few options left,” the Hamas leader concluded.
