Hamas rejects ‘threats’ amid push to salvage Gaza deal

• Hamas negotiators in Cairo; Israel calls up reservists to resume attacks
• Arab League says Trump’s vision may lead Middle East into a new crisis
• China expresses support for legitimate national rights of Palestinians, opposes their displacement; UAE president speaks to Rubio

GAZA CITY: Hamas on Wednesday rejected “American and Israeli threats” while mediators were “working intensively” to resolve the crisis surrounding the ceasefire deal.

A Hamas delegation was in Cairo for truce talks, the group said, rejecting the US and Israeli threats and demanding that Tel Aviv comply with the deal.

The truce has come under increasing strain in recent days, prompting a new push by mediators Qatar and Egypt to salvage it.

“A delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya, head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, arrived in Cairo and began meetings with Egyptian officials,” the group said.

A senior Hamas official told AFP the delegation “will discuss ways to end the current crisis and ensure the (Israeli) occupation’s commitment to implementing the agreement”.

On Tuesday, Israel warned that it could resume fighting if prisoners were not released by Saturday, echoing a threat by US President Donald Trump who said “hell” would break out if Hamas failed to release “all” prisoners by that day.

A sixth prisoner exchange was scheduled for Saturday, but earlier this week Hamas announced it was postponing the release, citing Israel’s failure to allow the entry of key humanitarian aid into Gaza.

A diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity mediators were engaged with both Israel and Hamas to resolve the dispute and ensure the implementation of the agreement.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said, “We will not accept the language of American and Israeli threats. Israel must commit to implementing the terms of the ceasefire agreement” to secure the release of prisoners.

“We have received assurances from mediators that efforts are being made to compel the occupation to uphold the ceasefire terms in Gaza,” said Qassem.

A Palestinian source told AFP mediators Egypt and Qatar were “working intensively” to resolve the crisis surrounding the ceasefire deal. A Palestinian official said mediators had stepped up their intervention “to prevent things sliding into a real crisis.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s military has called up reservists in preparation for a possible resumption of attacks in Gaza if Hamas did not meet the Saturday deadline to release more prisoners in response to Israeli failure to allow the entry of key humanitarian aid into the enclave.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to gather forces in and around Gaza, and the military announced shortly afterwards that it was deploying additional forces to Israel’s south, including mobilising reservists.

Besides, a plan announced by Trump to take over Gaza, move out its more than 2 million inhabitants and redevelop it into an international beach resort could also fuel regional instability, senior Arab officials said on Wednesday.

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit told a summit in Dubai that Trump’s vision for Gaza could lead the Middle East into a new cycle of crises with a “damaging effect on peace and stability.”

Egypt will host an emergency Arab summit on Feb 27 to discuss “serious” developments for Palestinians.

Separately, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday that peace efforts in the region should be on the basis of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Beijing’s stance

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday that Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and it is an inalienable part of the territory of Palestine.

“China firmly supports the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, believes that the Palestinians governing Palestine is an important principle that must be upheld in the post-conflict governance of Gaza, and opposes the forced displacement of the people of Gaza,” Guo Jiakun said during his regular briefing.

He said that under the current circumstances, the international community, major countries in particular, needs to play a constructive role in implementing the ceasefire deal, and promoting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and reconstruction there.

Jasem al-Budaiwi, who heads the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council political and economic alliance, called on Trump to remember the strong ties between the region and Washington.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2025