By Anadolu staff
ISTANBUL (AA) – Palestinian group Islamic Jihad said Tuesday it will not join any understandings with Israel without a complete cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
''We reiterate our position that we will not engage in any agreements without a complete cease-fire, withdrawal of the occupation forces, reconstruction, and a clear political solution that ensures the rights of the Palestinian people,'' its Secretary-General Ziad al-Nakhala said in a statement.
The White House said Monday that negotiators seeking to broker a deal for the release of additional hostages held by Hamas have developed a “framework” that could lead to an eventual deal.
According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the proposal includes the release of 35 Israeli hostages in return for a 6-week cease-fire in Gaza and the release of thousands of Palestinian detainees.
On Tuesday, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh confirmed that his group is studying a proposal for a cease-fire deal with Israel.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad are believed to be holding nearly 136 Israelis following its cross-border attack on Oct. 7.
Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, killing at least 26,751 Palestinians and injuring 65,636. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio