The leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Osama Hamdan, said that the movement’s position has not changed since the beginning of the negotiations last January, stressing that there will be no return to negotiations before stopping the aggression, withdrawing the occupation forces, returning the displaced, and adhering to the decisions of the International Court of Justice.

He added that there is no development regarding the negotiations, and that the movement has not been informed of anything in this regard, describing the Israeli talk about returning to negotiations as an attempt to evade the decision of the International Court of Justice and to acquit the United States of participation in the crime of genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip.

He pointed out that the decision of the International Court of Justice to stop military operations in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, requires the approval of the UN Security Council, “which may force the United States to use its veto power to prevent its support and enhance its participation in the crime,” as he put it.

Hamdan stressed that the Israeli talk about returning negotiations is “not serious,” and that what is currently required is to stop the aggression and completely withdraw the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip in implementation of the decision of the Court of Justice and the entry of aid, and after the negotiations begin again.

He said that the matter does not require new negotiations because the movement agreed to a proposal presented by the mediators after the occupation approved it, and therefore the correct step is for the Israeli side to adhere to this paper, withdraw its forces, and allow aid to enter the Gaza Strip.

He added, "The idea of considering amending the proposal means giving the Israelis more time to continue their aggression on the one hand, and helping them evade the decision of the International Court of Justice that will be presented to the UN Security Council on the other hand."

No negotiation without guarantees

Hamdan stressed that the movement has not been informed of anything officially new, and that it does not expect the mediators to discuss new ideas after the occupation rejected the previous paper that was agreed upon, despite all the guarantees it contained. He said that the lack of serious guarantees means giving the occupation an opportunity to continue its aggression.

He said that negotiating a prisoner exchange would not take place before withdrawing the occupation forces and allowing the entry of aid and the return of the displaced to their areas in the northern Gaza Strip, in compliance with what was agreed upon before the aggression against Rafah.

He added that the movement is not raising the ceiling of its demands, but rather is trying to deal with the reality after the decision of the International Court of Justice so as not to give the occupation and Washington the opportunity to evade this decision, stressing that the absence of any obligation for the occupation “means not obligating the Palestinian side to return to negotiations.”

Hamdan said that talking about readiness to accept Israel with sustainable calm does not mean anything, because the Israelis lose every day in Rafah and face the ruling of the International Court of Justice, and therefore not stopping the aggression and withdrawing forces does not mean any seriousness in talking.

He pointed out that talking about returning to negotiations, sitting in the negotiations and waiting for responses and proposals “means nothing more than giving the occupation an opportunity to continue its aggression and evade the decision of the International Court of Justice,” adding, “We believe that the idea of returning to negotiations requires a greater stance from the mediators towards the occupation because it is the one that rejected the last agreement.” Which was accepted by the resistance.”

Commenting on the existence of a new proposal, Hamdan said that the movement does not trust any proposal presented by the occupation, and that there is basically no need for any new proposal after the mediators presented a proposal that the resistance agreed upon, the occupation accepted, and then retracted it.

Israeli and American media had talked about a return to negotiations next week, and quoted Israeli officials as saying that Tel Aviv was ready to discuss sustainable calm because time was running out regarding the prisoners.