Evaluations on Ceasefire Negotiations
According to information obtained from diplomatic sources, the Hamas official, who played an important role in the ceasefire negotiations, conveyed the current situation to senior officials of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The official stated that the American administration’s efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement may be sincere due to security concerns in the region and the upcoming presidential elections in the United States, but they do not create any pressure against Israel.
Hamas official stated that the USA did not reflect the real situation to the media and said: “Optimistic messages are constantly being given, but the current situation is not positive at all. Netanyahu constantly puts forward new conditions, which makes negotiations difficult. He is unwilling to leave the Philadelphi corridor and is making new demands for the Rafah border gate. A new page opens every time, and in this process, he is faced with difficulties.” “We are forced to return. Israel is constantly raising its targets; this is not a negotiation, but an imposition.”
Emphasizing that this approach reduces the hope of a ceasefire, the official stated that negotiations continue on three main points: “Philadelphi corridor, Rafah border crossing and prisoner exchange.”
The official also criticized the US’s attitude towards the negotiations, “The USA stated that they will continue the negotiations for another two weeks and if a solution cannot be reached, they will withdraw from the negotiations. This is an extremely dangerous decision because it will cause us to return to the point where we started.”
Stating that the people are in a difficult situation, the official summarized the humanitarian situation in Gaza as follows: “The people cannot find food or medicine. Only flour and dry food are available. Fresh products, meat and other fresh fruits and vegetables are completely absent.”
As a result, the future of the negotiations and the plight of the people of Gaza continue to attract the attention of the international community. The developments that will take place in this process in the coming days are eagerly awaited.
