Egyptian Sources: Hamas, Islamic Jihad Reject Reneging Power for Permanent Ceasefire

CAIRO (Reuters) – The Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad terror groups have rejected an Egyptian proposal that they relinquish power in the Gaza Strip in return for a permanent ceasefire, two Egyptian security sources told Reuters on Monday.

Both groups, which have been holding separate talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, rejected offering any concessions beyond the possible release of more hostages seized on Oct. 7.

Egypt proposed a “vision,” also backed by Qatari mediators, that would involve a ceasefire in exchange for the release of more hostages, and lead to a broader agreement involving a permanent ceasefire along with an overhaul of leadership in Gaza, which is currently led by Hamas.

Egypt proposed elections while offering assurances to Hamas that its members would not be chased or prosecuted, but the Islamist terror group rejected any concessions other than hostage releases, the sources said. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza.

A Hamas official who visited Cairo recently declined to comment directly on specific offers of more temporary humanitarian truces and indicated the group’s rejection by repeating its official stance.

“Hamas seeks to end the Israeli aggression against our people, the massacres and genocide, and we discussed with our Egyptian brothers the ways to do that,” the official told Reuters.

“We also said that the aid for our people must keep going and must increase and it must reach all the population in the north and the south,” the official said.

“After the aggression is stopped and the aid increased we are ready to discuss prisoner swaps,” he added.

Islamic Jihad, which also holds hostages in custody in Gaza, has echoed that stance.

An Islamic Jihad delegation, led by its leader Ziad al-Nakhala, is currently in Cairo to exchange ideas with Egyptian officials over prisoner swap offers and other issues, but an official said the group had set an end to Israel’s military offensive as a pre-condition for further negotiations.

Islamic Jihad insists, the official said, that any prisoner swap must be based on the principle of “all for all,” meaning the release of all hostages held in Gaza by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in return for freeing all Palestinian terrorists jailed in Israel.