GAZA CITY, Palestine /ISTANBUL

The Palestinian Hamas movement on Saturday said that communications with mediators regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner exchange deal have “not stopped.”

In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanoua said: “The proposal by (US presidential envoy Steve) Witkoff, along with several ideas, is being discussed with mediators.”

On March 13, Israeli media reported that Witkoff presented a proposal involving the release of five Israeli captives in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire, the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the launch of second-phase negotiations.

The next day, Hamas announced its approval of a proposal submitted by mediators that included the release of an Israeli-American soldier and the return of four bodies of dual nationals, as part of resuming phase-two negotiations.

Al-Qanoua said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the “main obstacle to reaching an agreement,” adding that returning to implement the deal hinges on “his stance, as he prioritizes the survival of his government over the lives of the captives in Gaza.”

He affirmed Hamas’ readiness to engage in any arrangements regarding Gaza’s administration, provided that such arrangements are based on national consensus. He stressed that Hamas is not seeking a role in any administrative framework.

“Hamas had previously agreed to the formation of a community support committee in Gaza that does not include the movement,” he added.

“We have no ambition to govern Gaza. What matters to us is a national consensus, and we are committed to its outcomes,” the Hamas spokesperson said.

Al-Qanoua also condemned Israel’s resumption of its war on Gaza, calling it a “genocidal war” carried out under American cover. He urged the US to pressure Israel to return to the ceasefire agreement and to refrain from becoming a party to the conflict.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,000 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israel on Gaza since Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 113,000 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.