Haniyeh says Hamas is ‘as flexible as possible’ on deals with Israel, but ceasefire is essential

The head of the Hamas political bureau said yesterday that it has been as flexible as possible with regard to all potential agreements with the occupation state of Israel that result in the end of the aggression. Ismail Haniyeh also stressed the movement’s commitment to rejecting any agreement that does not guarantee a ceasefire.

“Hamas agreed without hesitation to all the drafts that were proposed, provided that the result would be an end to [Israeli]crimes, an end to the aggression, and a complete withdrawal [of Israeli troops] from the Gaza Strip,” Al Jazeera quoted the movement’s leader as saying. “We still maintain that any ceasefire proposal that does not guarantee an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza is not an agreement.”

Haniyeh pointed out that Israel chose escalation, invaded Rafah, closed the crossings and caused humanitarian disasters and severe famine throughout the Strip. “Moreover, all ideas about the ‘day after’ and internal arrangements must be purely Palestinian. No one has the right to interfere, not the occupation or anyone else.” He added that the international community must act to stop the aggression, allow the distribution of humanitarian aid and provide the necessities of life for the Palestinian people.

Commenting on the martyrdom of his sister this week, the Hamas official and former democratically-elected Palestinian Authority prime minister said, “If the criminal enemies think that targeting my family will change our position or that of the resistance, they are delusional,. The martyrs of my family are the martyrs of our people, and the martyrs of our people are also my family. There is no difference between the martyrs; all of them were chosen by the Almighty to pave our way towards victory and freedom.”

In closing, Haniyeh stressed that, “The blood of the martyrs demands that we do not compromise, that we do not reconcile, that we do not change, that we do not weaken, and that we do not despair.”

READ: Israel: former security chief says ‘no end to occupation’ means ‘no democracy’