Achi news desk-
GAZA, Palestine (AFP) – The Palestinian movement Hamas refused on Saturday to ‘back’ its demands for a cease-fire in Gaza, but agreed to send a delegation for new talks in Cairo over the weekend.
“Hamas confirms that it adheres to the position it presented on March 14 … and we will not back down from this position,” he said in a statement. The group also reiterated its series of demands.
“The demands … are a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupying forces from Gaza, the return of the displaced to their areas of residence, the freedom of movement of the people, the offer of aid and refuge, and a serious hostage exchange deal ,” he said.
Negotiators were expected in Cairo over the weekend for a renewed campaign to strike a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement with the war in Gaza to reach its six-month mark on Sunday.
Hamas’ insistence on its demands came as US President Joe Biden urged an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. Ahead of the weekend talks, Biden wrote to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar urging them to secure commitments from Hamas to “agree and stick to a deal”, a senior US administration official told AFP.
During a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, Biden pushed him to “fully empower” his negotiators to reach a deal.
Stop-start talks have made no progress since a week-long ceasefire in November, the only one since the start of the war on October 7, when dozens of hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
