By Nour Abuaisha
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Hamas announced Tuesday that it responded to a request by mediators to discuss new proposals for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and finalize a hostage swap deal.
"With regard to cease-fire negotiations, Hamas has responded to the mediators' request to explore new proposals on a cease-fire and a hostage swap," senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said in a news conference.
He said the Palestinian resistance group has held "some meetings on this issue," noting that "other meetings will take place in the same context.”
Abu Zuhri reiterated Hamas' openness "to any agreement or ideas that will end the suffering of our people in Gaza, bring about a complete cease-fire, ensure the withdrawal of the occupation from the entire territory, lift the blockade, provide relief, support, and shelter for our people, support reconstruction, and secure a serious deal for the prisoners."
Israel estimates that 101 captives are still being held by Hamas in Gaza, some of whom are believed to have been already killed by indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes across the densely populated enclave.
Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt and Qatar have failed to yield a cease-fire in Gaza, but Washington maintains that Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Oct. 18 may lead to a breakthrough in talks.
Hamas, however, said the conflict will end when Israel stops its military campaign in the blockaded enclave, which has killed more than 43,060 people since last year.
The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since a cross-border incursion by Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
More than 43,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and an excess of 101,100 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid a blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala