Hamas "Ready to Agree to Ceasefire with Israel"

Hezbollah and Israel Announce Ceasefire Immediately
Rising Expectations for Gaza Strip Ceasefire

The Palestinian armed group Hamas has expressed its readiness to stop the war with Israel that has lasted for over a year and reach an agreement.

On the 27th (local time), according to major foreign media including AFP, a senior Hamas official who requested anonymity stated, "Hamas has informed mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and T?rkiye that it is ready to make serious deals for a ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange," adding, "The Israeli side has been obstructing the ceasefire agreement."

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuri also said, "We recognize Lebanon's right to reach an agreement to protect its people, and we hope this agreement will open the way to end the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip as well," adding, "The problem has always been with Netanyahu, who avoids reaching an agreement." He placed the responsibility for the failure of the Gaza Strip ceasefire negotiations on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This stance by Hamas came immediately after the Lebanon-based pro-Iran armed group Hezbollah entered into a ceasefire with Israel. Since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7 last year, starting the war, Hezbollah has sided with Hamas and attacked northern Israel.

Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a 60-day temporary ceasefire yesterday through mediation by the United States and others, and the ceasefire has been in effect since 4 a.m. today. Accordingly, the Israeli military withdrew ground forces from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah pulled back its heavy weapons to north of the Litani River in Lebanon, about 30 km from the Lebanon-Israel border.

Amid this news, there is growing hope among Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip, who have become war refugees, that it will lead to a full ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Gaza health authorities reported that as of the 26th, the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip due to this war has reached 44,249, with 104,746 injured. The United Nations and other international organizations report that more than half of the deceased are innocent women and minors.