The head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, stressed that the massacre committed by the Israeli occupation in Nuseirat - yesterday, Saturday - confirms the correctness of the movement’s position that any agreement that can be reached must include a permanent cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, and a complete withdrawal from the Strip, Concluding an exchange and reconstruction deal.

Haniyeh's statements came during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the sixth meeting of foreign ministers of the high-level strategic dialogue mechanism between Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was held in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Sunday.

The Hamas movement said - in a statement - that Haniyeh discussed with Fidan the latest field and political developments related to the ongoing war on Gaza, and the efforts made to stop the aggression.

The Hamas statement stated that the Turkish Foreign Minister conveyed to Haniyeh and the movement’s leadership delegation that attended the meeting condolences for the martyrs of the Palestinian people, especially the martyrs of the Nuseirat massacre, denouncing the widespread killing of Palestinians, and reviewing the efforts of Turkish diplomacy to support ceasefire efforts and support the rights of the Palestinian people.

Israeli refusal

Haniyeh's statements regarding the need for any agreement to include a permanent cessation of aggression against Gaza come after statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he said that "Hamas requires stopping the war as part of the exchange deal, and I do not agree to that, and I will not agree."

Netanyahu said, “We are committed to achieving absolute victory and all the goals of the war,” and added, “The issue of prisoners is very important, but we must work to ensure Israel’s future,” as he put it.

US President Joe Biden presented a plan to reach a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas and end the war in the Gaza Strip, in a speech he delivered on May 31, during which he presented an Israeli proposal in this regard consisting of 3 stages.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies