ISTANBUL

Hamas on Friday denied an Israeli media report claiming the Palestinian group had halted negotiations on a potential ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal with Israel.

In a statement, Hamas refuted the report by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, which alleged that the group had suspended communications and negotiations on the matter.

"We remain at the heart of the negotiations and continue to engage responsibly and seriously with the mediators, including Qatar and Egypt," the statement added.

The movement also confirmed that it is still considering the proposal put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff, along with other suggestions aimed at securing a prisoner exchange, ending the war, and ensuring an Israeli withdrawal.

Earlier on Friday, Yedioth Ahronoth, citing a source involved in the mediation process, claimed that Hamas had halted talks following intensified Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

The report suggested that a mediator had informed the newspaper that discussions on releasing a limited number of Israeli captives had stopped. According to the source, Hamas was insisting on returning to a previously signed agreement from several months ago.

For the past 16 months, Hamas has been engaged in talks with Israel mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US. However, these negotiations have yet to result in the release of all Israeli captives or the end of the ongoing war, largely due to Israel’s repeated violations of agreements and the Israeli premier’s refusal to honor previous commitments.

Since Tuesday, more than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israel on Gaza, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 112,000 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants 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.