CAIRO: A senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri on Tuesday said that the Palestinian movement accepts a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution and is ready to negotiate over the details, adding that it was up to Washington to ensure that Israel abides by the resolution, Reuters reported.
Sami Abu Zuhri, the official spokesperson, said that Hamas is ready to discuss the details of the ceasefire resolution, which entails the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the exchange of hostages for detainees held by Israel. He emphasized the importance of Washington’s role in ensuring Israel’s compliance with the resolution.
“The US administration is facing a real test to carry out its commitments in compelling the occupation to immediately end the war in an implementation of the UN Security Council resolution,” stated Abu Zuhri. He stressed the crucial role of international pressure in achieving a lasting ceasefire.
The announcement comes in the wake of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s confirmation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his commitment to a Gaza ceasefire proposal.
“I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu last night and he reaffirmed his commitment to the proposal,” Blinken said, adding that Hamas’s welcoming of a UN vote on the US-drafted ceasefire resolution was a “hopeful” sign. “It is a hopeful sign, just as the statement issued after the president (Joe Biden) made his proposal 10 days ago was hopeful,” he said.
While acknowledging the positive developments, Blinken emphasized the necessity of concrete actions from Hamas leadership in Gaza. He reiterated the importance of their cooperation in realizing a sustainable peace agreement.
“But it’s not dispositive. What is dispositive — or at least what so far been dispositive in one way or another — is the word coming from Gaza and from the Hamas leadership in Gaza. And that’s what counts. And that’s what we don’t have. “We await the answer from Hamas,” he said.
Late on Monday, Hamas issued a statement expressing its welcome of the UN Security Council’s vote to adopt a resolution endorsing the ceasefire plan. However, the Palestinian movement reiterated its demands, including a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
