1:47 p.m. ET, March 5, 2024
Hamas said it had presented a response to the ceasefire negotiations to mediators in Egypt
From CNN's Mostafa Salem in Abu Dhabi: Palestinians wait to receive food prepared by a charity kitchen in Rafah, Gaza, March 5. Mohammed Salem/Portal
Hamas said it had submitted a response to proposals made to it by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, but blamed Israel for stalling on reaching an agreement.
“We reiterated our conditions for a ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the sector, the return of the displaced people to the areas they left, especially in the north, and the provision of sufficient aid, relief and reconstruction,” said the senior Hamas official. Leader Osama Hamdan said at a press conference in Beirut.
Hamdan reiterated Hamas's call for a permanent ceasefire and said the prisoner exchange would not be completed until Israeli troops were withdrawn from Gaza and aid was approved.
“The security of our people can only be achieved through a permanent ceasefire, the end of aggression, the withdrawal of Israel from every inch of the Gaza Strip… and providing assistance to our people in the Gaza Strip is our top priority,” he said.
Hamdan warned that negotiations will not be “open” as Israel continues its offensive in Gaza.
He added that Hamas last week outlined its “vision and position” on a proposal put forward by Egypt and Qatar.