Hamas announced readiness for a cease-fire in Gaza on Wednesday, following a truce between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The group stated its willingness to end the 13-month conflict, provided conditions are met, including a halt to Israeli military operations, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced residents, and a hostages-for-prisoners exchange.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri reiterated these demands while accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of stalling efforts for an agreement. Netanyahu, however, insists the war will only conclude with Hamas’s complete eradication.
The announcement follows President Joe Biden’s call for a Gaza cease-fire and his administration’s involvement in brokering the Israel-Hezbollah deal. Biden emphasized that Gaza’s future depends on the release of hostages, including Americans, and the cessation of fighting to allow humanitarian aid to flow.
Netanyahu has remained firm that Hamas’s actions, including the deadly Oct. 7 incursion into Israel, leave no room for compromise without addressing the group’s military threat.
