Top Hamas official in Lebanon Osama Hamdan held a press conference on Wednesday, revealing the latest updates on ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar.
Hamdan, who was speaking from Beirut, said that the Israeli response to the demands of the Resistance was a ‘negative response in general’, though he didn’t indicate that the negotiations had ended.
Below are the main takeaways from Hamdan’s statements, communicated via the Resistance News Network Telegram channel and published here in their original form.
‘Comprehensive Vision’
“Hamas is striving with every effort and deploying all its strength and effectiveness to end this aggressive war on our people, intensifying its efforts and endeavors in all directions to bring in relief and humanitarian aid and to heal the wounds of our patient and stationed people on the land of Gaza of glory.
“The movement is following the course of negotiations through our mediator brothers in Egypt and Qatar, and has presented a comprehensive vision based on the principles and foundations we consider necessary for an agreement. This vision achieves the priorities of our people (..) in stopping the aggression, returning the displaced to their homes, the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and intensifying the entry of relief and aid.
“The movement has presented its vision regarding the prisoner exchange file, showing high positivity and flexibility, aiming to overcome obstacles to the agreement and to shorten the time to stop the massacres and the genocide war against our unarmed civilian people.
‘The Rights of Our People’ – Details of Hamas’ Ceasefire Proposal Revealed
“The movement responded to the demands of the mediator (..) and offered the flexibility that paves the way for an agreement. Now, the ball is in the court of the occupation. What is required from it, in front of the mediators, the world, its public, and the families of the prisoners, is to seize the opportunity and stop evading and stalling, trying to buy time, spreading chaos, targeting security men, police, and civilian popular committees securing the aid delivery, and threatening to invade Rafah.
“We have previously confirmed that the opportunity is available to reach an agreement in three stages, but the stubbornness of the occupation government and the arrogance of the criminal Netanyahu, and his evasion of this obligation, and his army’s escalation to the genocide war and massacres against our people, will be a tool to disrupt and sabotage all these opportunities.”
‘Negative Response’
“The mediator (..) conveyed to us last night, Tuesday, the position of the occupation regarding the proposal delivered by the movement on Thursday, March 14. It is a negative response in general, not meeting the demands of our people and resistance. It even retreats from agreements previously presented to the mediators and conveyed to us through them, deepening the policy of stalling, which could obstruct the negotiations and possibly lead them to a dead end.
“We affirm that the movement is monitoring the behavior of the occupation. With every round of negotiations, it escalates its crimes against our people, thinking that such crimes might gain it advantages at the negotiation table. We reiterate that what the occupation has not taken in the military battle and the crime of genocide, it will not take with political tricks and negotiation games.
OSAMA HAMDAN: The occupation’s response to the movement’s proposal regarding ceasefire negotiations and prisoner exchange “was negative, and does not respond to the demands of our people”.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 20, 2024
“We state clearly: Netanyahu personally, his terrorist government, and those who supported and still support his aggression bear all the responsibility for disrupting all efforts aimed at achieving a prisoner exchange deal to stop the aggression.”
Besieging Al-Shifa
“The continuous siege and zionist aggression on Al-Shifa Hospital and its surrounding area, through repeated targeting of civilians’ houses around the hospital, arresting civilians and journalists, is a zionist attempt to cover up its failure in achieving any of its military objectives announced, except for its continuation in targeting safe civilians in execution of its declared plan to displace our people from their land.
“The occupation has admitted to executing more than 50 Palestinians inside and around the hospital and arresting around 200 citizens, including journalists and media personnel, especially the Al-Jazeera media crew, and smashing satellite broadcasting equipment, in a heinous war crime occurring in front of the entire world, by targeting a hospital protected by international law.
“The series of field executions carried out by the occupation continuously and on a large scale in the Gaza Strip, and acknowledged by its Nazi army, is a complete war crime, executed amidst the world’s silence and its failure to stop it.
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“The world must answer a fundamental question: Hasn’t the time come to hold this rogue entity accountable, as it has made the violation of laws and agreements, and the perpetration of crimes and atrocities, a normal behavior, with the full support and partnership of the U.S. administration, the sponsor of these violations and crimes?
“We warn this Nazi enemy against continuing its violations and crimes against the detainees in the Gaza Strip. We hold it responsible for their lives and safety, and we call on human rights institutions and the United Nations to intervene immediately to pressure the occupation for their immediate release.”
Killing Police Chiefs
“The cowardly assassination operation of the martyr Brigadier General Fayeq Al-Mabhouh, the director of Gaza police, is a zionist crime that came after the efforts of the martyr and the security forces to end the chaos sought by the occupation, control the security situation, and secure the delivery of relief aid to the Gaza and North governorates, with the aim of preventing safe access of aid to our people.
“The occupation’s escalation in its systematic crimes targeting police officers, elements of administrative government agencies in the Strip, national symbols, dignitaries, and respected tribal figures, reveals again its criminal plan to strike the cohesion and the national stances rejecting its aggression and crimes, revealing its desperate attempts to spread chaos and sow discord among the people of one nation.
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“We salute the responsible national stance of the families and tribes of Gaza, which refused to respond to the malicious plans of the zionist occupation, aimed at creating coordination bodies that are alien to the Palestinian national line. This confirms the families’ and tribes’ support for the resistance, the government, its police, and security forces, and their rejection of the occupation’s attempts to tamper with the Palestinian national line.”
Biden and Rafah Invasion
“What the U.S. administration and President Biden personally are promoting in statements about the occupation launching its aggression on Rafah constitute, in reality, a real cover for the occupation army to commit new genocidal massacres in it. This exposes the American position that explicitly declares its refusal to stop the aggression while hypocritically calling to avoid targeting civilians and committing horrific massacres against them, and it is a partner in the genocide.
“What is required of the U.S. administration, if it is serious about stopping the genocide of our people in Gaza, is to stop sending weapons and equipment to the occupation army, stop economic and financial support to the zionist entity, stop opposing the entire world which sees the zionist entity only as a criminal terrorist entity, and allow the issuance of international resolutions to directly stop the aggression.”
No Victory in Gaza
“We affirm that the crimes of the occupation and the ongoing genocide against our people and all aspects of human life in Gaza will not create any image of victory for Netanyahu and his Nazi army. These actions are an expression of the state of confusion, panic, and loss of hope in achieving any military success beyond targeting unarmed civilians and committing more horrific massacres.
“We hold the administration of President Biden responsible for the continuation of the massacres by the Nazi occupation army committed with open American weapons and support. We call on the international community, its countries and institutions, to urgently intervene to stop this genocide and to take all measures to introduce aid through land crossings, not succumbing to the will of the occupation and its fascist policies.
‘In the Vicinity of Al-Shifa’ – Resistance Roundup – Day 165
“We emphasize that there is no alternative to completely opening the crossings, ending the siege, and allowing aid convoys into all areas of the Gaza Strip, especially to the governorates of Gaza and North Gaza, ensuring that this aid reaches our besieged people, and ending their humanitarian suffering.
“We hold the occupation responsible for targeting aid convoys and the crews and committees to protect and secure them. We demand the activation of the role of international relief institutions, especially UNRWA, to facilitate and organize the entry and distribution of aid in a way that preserves the dignity of our people.”
Steadfastness and Solidarity
“Our people, with their patience, steadfastness, and sacrifices, and our resistance with its bravery, strength, and competent management of this battle, will not allow this Nazi enemy and its fascist government to compensate for their losses and failure in achieving their aggressive objectives in the Gaza Strip through political games and prolonging the negotiations.
“We appreciate the mass gatherings that responded to the call for mobilization, stationing, and i’tikaf during the blessed month of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa Mosque. We commend their steadfastness, sacrifices, and their overcoming of the zionist occupation’s violations, breaking the siege imposed on the first qibla of Muslims and the third holiest site in Islam.
“We affirm that these mass crowds, despite the prevention, persecution, roadblocks, arrests, and deportations, prove that our people, especially our steadfast residents across the West Bank, Al-Quds, and the occupied interior, form the first line of defense for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. They will not allow the enemy’s plans to pass.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 20, 2024
“We renew our call for the International Court of Justice to take new emergency measures that oblige the zionist occupation to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to counter the threat of our people dying from hunger. Here, we appreciate South Africa’s stance and insistence, and its calls on the court to act urgently.
“We highly value and appreciate the efforts by the brothers in Ansarallah and the Yemeni Armed Forces, the brothers in Hezbollah in brotherly Lebanon, and the efforts of the Iraqi resistance factions in targeting the zionist entity to support our people and back our valiant resistance. We appreciate their pursuit of more operations that relieve our people and stop the aggression and genocide against them.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
The Resistance should be prepared for a Rafah invasion by Netanyahu and IDF as well as ground, air and sea assaults by these Nazi descendants. As what’s happening now, the lives of the hostages do not matter to him or IDF anymore. God Allah guide your resistance to final victory.