Unfolding Events
Israeli Prime Minister Rejects Mediators' Ceasefire Proposal
Demonstration in Tel Aviv
demanding Israeli government accept ceasefire agreement, May 6
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected yet again the demand of the Palestinian resistance forces for a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces in exchange for the release of prisoners taken captive during the Al Aqsa Flood military operation. Netanyahu said on May 6 that such a move would keep Hamas in power in Gaza and pose a threat to Israel. Netanyahu said Israel was willing to pause fighting in Gaza in order to secure the release of Israeli captives held by the resistance forces but "Ending the war, and leaving Hamas intact -- the State of Israel cannot accept that," he said. "It would be a huge victory for Hamas, for Iran, for the entire axis of evil. Therefore, Israel will not agree to Hamas's demands which mean surrender, and will continue the fighting until all its goals are achieved."
The Hamas Movement said in a statement issued May 5 that the current round of ceasefire talks in the Egyptian capital had ended, and that its negotiating team would leave for Doha after two days of meetings. "The movement's delegation had delivered the movement's response to the mediator brothers in Egypt and Qatar, where in-depth and serious discussions took place with them," Hamas' statement said.
The statement mentioned that Hamas' key demands include "a complete end" to the fighting, Israeli withdrawal "from the entire Gaza Strip, the facilitation of the return of displaced people, the intensification of relief efforts, the start of reconstruction and the conclusion of a prisoner exchange deal." Senior Palestinian Resistance sources told Al Mayadeen that the negotiations face a major obstacle due to the Israeli refusal to adhere to a permanent ceasefire.
A senior source in the Palestinian Resistance movement affirmed to Al Mayadeen that the Resistance leadership is exhibiting high flexibility in indirect negotiations to reach a deal that achieves the Palestinian people's demands of a complete halt to Israeli aggression and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The source added that the Resistance reacted positively to the proposal set by mediators, emphasizing that contact and negotiations are ongoing between Resistance leaders and mediators, aimed at reaching a serious and actual deal.
Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as the genocide continues to unfold in the blockaded strip for more than 213 days. The OIC condemned the Israeli occupation's genocide in the Gaza Strip, calling for the imposition of sanctions on the Israeli regime.
This article was published in
Volume 54 Number 31 - May 8, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54316.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca