Watan-Al-Quds Al-Arabi has learned from exclusive sources that recent statements by U.S. officials about an imminent ceasefire agreement to end the war on Gaza do not reflect the actual status of negotiations. Hamas, for its part, denied rumors that it had imposed new conditions to accept the proposed truce.
According to available information, recent consultations among several Palestinian factions involved in the ceasefire file reaffirmed the need for strong guarantees that Israel will not resume the war against Gaza—whether the truce is temporary or permanent.
Hamas also insists that there be firm guarantees for implementing the full “humanitarian protocol,” as outlined in the previous ceasefire agreement that collapsed on March 2 due to Israel’s refusal to advance in the negotiations.
“No Breakthrough”
A senior official from one of the Palestinian factions involved in the ceasefire talks said that despite repeated statements by American officials—most notably President Donald Trump—suggesting a ceasefire could be reached within two weeks, the reality is quite different.
Last week witnessed intense mediation efforts by Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries. These involved discussing new frameworks to overcome ongoing points of contention—most importantly Israel’s refusal to commit to avoiding a return to war after any temporary ceasefire, similar to its past violations. This includes Israel’s rejection of guarantees related to the third phase of any agreement, which involves Gaza’s reconstruction.
The official stressed that although U.S. statements, especially from Trump, gave the impression that a truce was imminent, this is “inaccurate.” He accused the U.S. of manipulating public opinion to aid the Israeli right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, which is under domestic pressure to negotiate a prisoner exchange deal and end the war.
He further confirmed that no “breakthrough” occurred in last week’s ceasefire discussions and that any new proposal would require removing Israel’s previously obstructive conditions.
Hamas Denial
In this context, Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, denied a report by Sky News Arabia claiming that Hamas had placed specific conditions for accepting a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. He labeled the report “baseless, full of fabricated lies,” and completely rejected its content.
He clarified that “Hamas’s conditions are clear and publicly known, not relayed through anonymous sources that serve the occupation.”
Al-Rishq said such “lies” are meant to distract from “war crimes and incitement against Hamas and the Palestinian resistance,” adding that “when the Zionist system fails to break Gaza’s will, it resorts to coordinated media defamation campaigns.”
Military Escalation
As part of a recurring Israeli tactic to escalate militarily before and during ceasefire talks—aimed at imposing terms—Gaza is currently experiencing a serious military escalation. New evacuation orders have been issued for residents of Gaza City and towns in the north, adding to previously issued orders in central Gaza just days ago.
In a threat-laden statement, the Israeli army said it is “operating with extreme force in these areas, and these military actions will intensify, escalate, and extend westward into the city center to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations,” as it described. The statement concluded with incitement: “Hamas harms you and brings you disaster.”
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