Hamas says it won’t accept deal without permanent cease-fire, complete withdrawal from Gaza
Hamas will not accept a Gaza truce deal without clear commitment from Israel to a permanent cease-fire and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Hamas official Osama Hamdan said Tuesday.
"We have communicated our position to the mediators that we cannot agree to a deal unless there is a clear position from the Israeli occupation it is committed to a permanent cease-fire and a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,” Hamdan said during a press conference in Beirut.
Hamdan said he does not believe Israel will commit to a cease-fire and called on Israel to submit a clear position of its readiness for a permanent cease-fire and complete withdrawal from Gaza.
"We cannot agree to a deal that does not secure, guarantee and confirm a permanent cease-fire, comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the completion of a serious and real exchange deal," Hamdan said.
"We asked the mediators to obtain a clear position from the Israeli occupation regarding its commitment to a permanent cease-fire and a comprehensive withdrawal," he added.
-ABC News' Ayat Al-Tawy