A senior Hamas official has accused U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration of deliberately misrepresenting the level of progress achieved in ongoing negotiations toward a ceasefire in Gaza in order to put pressure on the Palestinian group.
The remarks, which were shared with Newsweek, came shortly after White House National Security Council Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters on Monday that “enough progress” had been made by the parties to the discussions taking place in the Egyptian capital of Cairo “to a point where they felt like the next logical step was to have groups at lower levels sit down to hammer out these finer details.”
The working-level stage of talks, according to Kirby, “are of a much more detailed, specific nature than we’ve typically been able to talk about,” including the nature of the exchange of hostages held in Hamas captivity since the group led a surprise attack last October and Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons.
Hamas has not directly participated in the most recent rounds of negotiations, they have instead been represented by a delegation of mediators in Egypt and Qatar. Kirby stated during Monday’s press call that “Hamas continues to be represented as these working group meetings are going on as we speak and over the next few days.”
In response, Hamas spokesperson and Political Bureau member Basem Naim stated that “the movement is not participating in any negotiations in Cairo” and argued that “Kirby’s statements are an attempt to sell illusions to cover up the crimes of the occupation.”
“Washington is practicing a campaign of media pressure on the resistance,” Naim said in the comments shared with Newsweek.
BASHAR TALEB/AFP/Getty Images
The latest accusations came as Hamas repeatedly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of adding new conditions to the initial ceasefire proposal that was first unveiled by Biden in late May.
“We will not accept the conditions that Netanyahu added to the proposal,” Naim said in his most recent statements.
Newsweek has reached out to the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister for comment.
Israeli officials have denied adding new demands that run against the initial spirit of the U.S. proposal, though Netanyahu has acknowledged certain commitments viewed by Hamas as incompatible with the deal.
These include Israeli forces maintaining a presence in parts of Gaza, particularly the southern Rafah Crossing and Philadelphi Corridor as well as the Israeli military-established Netzarim Corridor that divides northern and southern Gaza, as well as Israeli officials maintaining a say over the details of the hostage and prisoner swap.
Israeli officials have also accused Hamas of rejecting existing proposals and adding their own conditions to the agreement, something the group has denied.
The original agreement, as outlined by Biden and backed by a United Nations Security Council draft resolution in June, would play out in three phases.
The first stage involves a six-week ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, a limited exchange of hostages and prisoners and a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza. The ensuing stages would result in a permanent cessation of hostilities, the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas, a total Israeli withdrawal and a plan to rebuild Gaza.
Hamas has called for early assurances that a lasting ceasefire would be reached in what has emerged as the longest and deadliest-ever war in Gaza.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas and allied Palestinian factions led an unprecedented attack on Israel, leading to what Israeli officials estimate to be the deaths of around 1,200 people. More than 40,000 have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry based in the Hamas-held territory.
This is a developing news story. More information will be added as it becomes available.
