Spokesman for Hamas' Haniyeh denies humanitarian truce agreement reached with Israel

By Hamdi Yilmaz

CAIRO (AA) – A top aide to Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh denied on Thursday that a humanitarian truce had been reached with Israel, adding that negotiations are continuing.

“The negotiations are ongoing, and as of this moment, no agreement has been reached with Israel,” said Taher al-Nono, Haniyeh’s media adviser, on Telegram.

“Should any agreement be reached, it will be clearly and promptly communicated to our people,” he added.

The statement came shortly after a White House announcement saying that Israel had agreed to hold “humanitarian pauses” set to last four hours daily in northern Gaza starting on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said on Thursday that any cease-fire in the Gaza Strip is contingent on the release of the hostages held by Palestinian group Hamas.

Hamas on Thursday said one Israeli soldier it was holding had been killed in Israeli airstrikes while another had been injured.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala