A top Hamas political official has told The Associated Press the Islamic militant group is willing to agree to a five-year truce with Israel and that it will lay down its weapons and convert into a political party if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders. Khalil al-Hayya made the comments Wednesday amid a stalemate in months of cease-fire talks. But it's unlikely Israel would consider such a scenario. Israel has vowed to crush Hamas following the deadly Oct. 7 attacks that triggered the war, and its current government adamantly opposes a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians. Al-Hayya, who has represented Hamas in negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage exchange deal, spoke inTurkey's capital, Istanbul.
