Hamas official: Rumors of talks with Israel exaggerated
A senior Hamas source claims that rumors about negotiations with Israel for a long-term truce are exaggerated, saying that the only issue seriously on the table is an exchange of Hamas prisoners and the bodies of two IDF soldiers.
For quite some time now, reports have been circulating in the media about communication between Israel and Hamas toward "hudna" — a long-term truce between the parties. In an Al-Monitor article June 30, Uri Savir reported that a source in the prime minister's office confirmed to him that there had been an exchange of messages between Israel and Hamas; however, as the source noted, the parties are still too far apart.
The messages, the deliberate leaks and, above all, the hopes of Gaza residents for a change and an improvement in their own situation and in the overall state of the Gaza Strip have triggered a wave of rumors that a historic agreement between Israel and Hamas is not only possible, but also closer than ever. And anyone looking for confirmation and corroboration could find them in the statements made July 4 by former Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
"This authority [Israel] has decided against launching another war,” Haniyeh said, explaining that the message had been conveyed by a third party whose identity he chose not to disclose. The statements he went on to make in the sermon he delivered at al-Shuhada Mosque in Nuseirat refugee camp have actually reinforced the rumors. They were perceived by his listeners as a first public acknowledgment designed to lay the groundwork for an imminent agreement with Israel.
“Last Ramadan [during Operation Protective Edge] planted the seeds that are blooming during Ramadan today. Liberation is close. The next step will bring plenty to the families of Gaza,” Haniyeh promised.
