Resistance groups reject truce, swap deal until Israel stops war on Gaza

The five Palestinian resistance factions have agreed on a national solution involving the formation of a unity government, rejecting "all solutions and scenarios for the so-called future of the Gaza Strip" after the end of the war waged by Israel.

During a meeting early on Friday attended by representatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command in the Lebanese capital Beirut, they emphasised the "necessity to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip before achieving any prisoner exchange deal," according to a statement issued by Hamas.

The statement also said "the factions agreed on the necessity of confronting the results of the war on our people with a unified struggle strategy, repositioning our cause as a national liberation issue."

In this context, the factions agreed to "present several proposals to the national collective, the first of which is to call for a comprehensive and binding national meeting that includes all parties without exception to implement what has been agreed upon in previous national dialogues and to address the consequences of the war."

According to the statement, they also agreed "to develop and enhance the Palestinian political system on democratic foundations through general elections involving everyone, according to the full proportional representation system."

The Palestinian territories of the occupied West Bank and Gaza have been politically divided since June 2007 due to sharp disagreements between the Fatah and Hamas movements. Hamas won a majority in the legislative elections of 2006. Since then, it has governed Gaza, and Fatah has governed the occupied West Bank.

Regarding the war on Gaza, the statement said the participants discussed "immediate and urgent tasks, starting with an immediate end to the war of genocide, scorched earth (policy) and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip."

"The attendees stressed breaking the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, starting to bring in relief and medical aid and fuel, supplying our people with all the necessities of life, and transporting seriously wounded cases abroad for treatment."

According to the statement, the attendees also "stressed the importance of the Arab, Islamic and international commitment to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the necessity of launching an international initiative for reconstruction and providing urgently prepared housing pending reconstruction to strengthen the steadfastness of our people in their land."

In this context, the assembled factions reiterated their position on the necessity of "a final ceasefire and [end to] all acts of Zionist aggression and the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip as a condition before carrying out a prisoner exchange and on the basis of all for all."

In recent days, official and private Israeli and Arabic media outlets have reported on negotiations between Israel and Hamas under the auspices of Egypt and Qatar regarding a prisoner swap deal between the two parties.

However, no official statements or positions have been issued by Hamas, Egypt or Qatar regarding the negotiations or proposals presented to the factions and Israel.

Hamas opposes any US, Israel-imposed govt

On Thursday, Osama Hamdan, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas' top representative in Lebanon and a member of its politburo, said Hamas was open to any proposal for a final and complete ceasefire in besieged Gaza, but will not tolerate administrations imposed by "Zionist" Israel or its ally US.

Hamdan emphasised during a press conference that Hamas is open to any proposal for a final and complete ceasefire in Gaza, but warned "Our people want not a fragmented or temporary but a complete ceasefire."

As for the tiny enclave's post-war governance, Hamdan said it would be a "decision of the Palestinian people alone" and that Palestinians in Gaza would "not accept a leadership that comes on the back of a Zionist or American tank or under the protection of this tank."

Egypt had prepared a "preliminary proposal" for a ceasefire in besieged Gaza on December 27. Diaa Rashwan, chairman of the Egyptian State Information Service, said on Thursday that they have not yet received an official response from the parties to the proposal.

Sources close to Hamas say Cairo's three-stage plan provides for renewable ceasefires, a staggered release of captives held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and ultimately a ceasefire to end the war.

It also provides for a Palestinian government of technocrats after talks involving "all Palestinian factions", which would be responsible for governing and rebuilding in post-war Gaza.

Resistance dictating moves

Addressing Israel's attacks in Gaza, Hamdan said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, senior Minister Benny Gantz and Defence Minister Yoav Galant "claim to have passed from one phase to another for three months and deceive themselves and the people with a fake victory."

"In reality, they are facing defeat after defeat."

Hamdan also spoke about the captives held by Hamas, saying: "Netanyahu thought he could retrieve the captives through military pressure." "I challenge you to show a single captive brought back by Netanyahu without bowing to the conditions of the resistance.

I say it clearly: you can only retrieve your captives through military pressure as lifeless bodies or not retrieve them at all."

Three weeks ago, a father of one of the captives in Gaza said after a meeting with Netanyahu that Hamas was the one that returned the captives, not Israel, adding that the government "hadn't dictated a single move."

Israel 'stole organs' of Palestinians

Hamdan also provided information about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel seizing the bodies of 80 Palestinians and political efforts being pursued.

Highlighting Israel's numerous crimes during its brutal attacks, which have been ongoing in Gaza for 83 days, he said, "Israeli forces stole the bodies of 80 people from various parts of Gaza."

"They opened graves, took out the bodies, and stole their organs. The International Committee of the Red Cross handed over these bodies as if nothing had happened, without making any statements about the identities of these bodies," he said.

"We demand that the Red Cross committee explain how they received these corpses without any information about how these individuals were martyred and their identities," he added.

Hamdan emphasised that there was not enough aid entering the blockaded enclave, leading to people dying from hunger and thirst, especially women, children, the injured and the sick.

He called for urgent action from the Arab and Islamic world and the international community to ensure the delivery of food supplies, particularly to northern Gaza, and to prevent more people from dying each day.

Israel's war on besieged Gaza — now in its 84th day — has left at least 21,320 Palestinians dead and wounded 55,603 as Tel Aviv continues bombardment of cities, towns and refugee camps across the tiny Palestinian enclave.

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Source: TRT