Hamas seeks ‘guarantees’ as Gaza ceasefire talks continue

KABUL (Pajhwok): Hamas officials have said they are seeking firm guarantees that Israel will end the war in Gaza and withdraw from the Palestinian territory, as part of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Al Jazeera reports.

Speaking at the White House on the second anniversary of the war’s outbreak, President Trump said there was a “real chance” for a Gaza deal as the second day of indirect negotiations concluded in Egypt’s resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Senior Qatari and US officials are expected to join the talks, which will resume on Wednesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, a coalition of Palestinian factions – including Hamas – issued a statement reaffirming their “resistance stance by all means,” emphasizing that “no one has the right to cede the weapons of the Palestinian people.”

According to sources, Tuesday’s discussions focused on setting a schedule for the release of Israeli captives and mapping out Israeli troop withdrawals.

Hamas reportedly insisted that the release of the final Israeli hostage must coincide with the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, told Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News that the group “does not trust the occupation, not even for a second.”

He said Hamas seeks “real guarantees” that the war will end permanently, accusing Israel of violating two previous ceasefires during the conflict.

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