Hamas Aligns With Biden’s Gaza Ceasefire Proposal, Says Haniyeh

By Yoni Weiss

Hamas’s response to the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal aligns with the principles outlined in President Joe Biden’s plan, said the group’s Qatar-based leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in a speech marking the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha on Sunday.

“Hamas and the [Palestinian] groups are ready for a comprehensive deal which entails a ceasefire, withdrawal from the Strip, the reconstruction of what was destroyed, and a comprehensive swap deal,” Haniyeh stated, referring to the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

On May 31, Biden presented a “three-phase” Israeli proposal that includes negotiations for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and phased exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Egypt and Qatar, along with the United States, have been mediating between Hamas and Israel. They reported on June 11 that they had received a response from the Palestinian groups to the U.S. plan, without providing further details.

While Israel claimed that Hamas rejected key elements of the U.S. plan, a senior Hamas leader told Reuters that the requested changes were “not significant.”