On May 30, 2024, the Palestinian terror entity Hamas said that it is ready for a complete agreement, including hostage exchange, if Israel stops its offensive war operations in Gaza. They were quoted as saying in a statement by an international media agency that they are ready to reach a complete agreement if Israel stops the war and aggression in Gaza Strip.
The latest Hamas statement came as Israel pressed with an offensive on the southern city of Rafah despite orders from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the top UN Court to halt the attacks. “Hamas and Palestinian factions will not accept to be part of this policy by continuing ceasefire negotiations in light of aggression, siege, starvation and genocide of our people,” the Hamas statement read.
“Today we informed the mediators of our clear position that if the occupation stops this war and aggression against our people in Rafah and Gaza, our readiness is to reach a complete agreement that includes a comprehensive exchange deal,” it added. Israel has rejected Hamas offers in the past as they were insufficient and said it determined to wipe out a group bent on its destruction.
It says its Rafah offensive is focused on rescuing hostages and rooting out Hamas fighters. Israel said on May 29, 2024 that its war on Hamas in Gaza will continue all the year after Washington said the Rafah Assault did not mount to a major ground operation that would trigger a change in US policy. Israeli tanks moved into the heart of Rafah in Gaza for the first time on May 29,2024, despite an order from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to end attacks on the city.
Over 35 Palestinians were killed and dozens of them were injured in Rafah after Israeli strikes hit southern Gaza Strip on May 26, 2024, according to the Palestinian Health and Civil Emergencies service officials. Rafah houses hundreds of displaced Palestinians, who fled from the northern Part of Gaza since Israel’s counterattack against Hamas October 7,2023 attacks.
More than 240 people were taken captive on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters launched an attack into southern Israel killing at least 1,139 people according to a West Asian news agency, based on Israeli statistics.
Israel then launched its war on Gaza which has killed more than 36,000 people, most of them being Palestinians, according to health officials. The conflict has reduced much of Gaza into rubble and displaced vast majority of residents. A first round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas in November led to the release of about 100 captives in exchange of Palestinians held captive in Israeli prisons. But since then, talks have stalled.
