Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups have set out stringent demands for any potential deal with Israel, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported. According to the publication, the groups will not accept mere statements from US President Joe Biden, instead insisting on explicit written guarantees.
Sources told Al-Akhbar, a media outlet affiliated with Hezbollah, that the terrorist organizations view Biden's recent proposal as inadequate for facilitating a serious accord. They revealed that recent contacts between Egypt, Qatar, and the Palestinian factions centered on key issues – the hostage-prisoner exchange deal, ceasefire terms, and control of the Rafah crossing.
Hamas has stated it requires a formal written document detailing Biden's commitments alongside ironclad assurances implemented by the US to compel Israeli adherence.
On the matter of a ceasefire, Hamas demands an absolute, permanent halt to hostilities with no ambiguity. Israel, however, refuses a permanent ceasefire and is resolute in achieving the goal it set on Oct. 7 after 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists: to destroy the terror group and secure the release of the over 120 hostages still held captive.
During talks with Egyptian intelligence, the terror group underscored it will only finalize its position upon receiving an official document enshrining full Israeli consent, leaving no room for interpretation – a scenario it claims Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu desires.
Egypt has invited Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine to Cairo within days for further discussions. Al-Akhbar reports the terrorist groups plan to dispatch delegations, having agreed Hamas should lead the negotiations and preclude any parallel tracks with Israel.
The factions also notified the Egyptian and Qatari mediators of their unwillingness to provide any assurances to Israel about future arrangements. They insisted any agreement lacking an enduring ceasefire will be automatically rejected.
Another Hamas precondition is Israel's complete withdrawal from the Rafah border crossing into Gaza. The group directly conveyed this ultimatum to Egypt's intelligence service handling the Palestinian portfolio. Al-Akhbar's Egyptian sources disclosed deliberations over potentially transferring control of Rafah to the Palestinian Authority, though the core Palestinian divide over Gaza's governance remains unresolved.
A Rafah operation, in particular, is considered vital by the IDF to destroy Hamas as the city is believed to be a terror hub where most of the hostages are held.
Ahead of Biden's recent address, CIA Director William Burns conducted meetings with relevant parties. Israeli sources claimed Burns requested their acceptance of the formula the US president would outline, underscoring the high stakes.
