Beirut: Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, a senior official in Hamas said Wednesday, hailing the ceasefire that took hold in Lebanon.
“We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye that Hamas is ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious deal to exchange prisoners,” the official told media, however accusing Israel of obstructing a deal.
In a statement released later Wednesday, Hamas said “the enemy’s acceptance of the agreement with Lebanon without achieving its preconditions marks a significant milestone in shattering (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s illusions of reshaping the Middle East through force”.
The group also praised the “pivotal” role of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority expressed hope that the ceasefire would bring stability to the region, especially in war-torn Gaza.
“We hope that this step will contribute to stopping the violence and instability that the region is suffering from,” the Palestinian presidency said in a statement, highlighting the need to enforce a UN resolution for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkiye was ready to help in any way possible to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement that has come into effect in Lebanon.
Turkiye, which has fiercely criticised Israel’s offensives in Gaza and Lebanon, has previously said it discussed a potential truce in Gaza with Hamas and gave the group recommendations on how to proceed with the negotiations.
Iran welcomed the end of Israel’s “aggression” in Lebanon, after a ceasefire came into force on Wednesday between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hailing the news of the end of Israel’s “aggression against Lebanon”, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei in a statement stressed Iran’s “firm support for the Lebanese government, nation and resistance”.
He also called on the international community to “exert effective pressure” on Israel to end the war in Gaza.
Iran has made support for the Palestinian cause a pillar of its foreign policy since the advent of the Islamic Republic in 1979. –Agencies
