Following the identification of the deceased hostage, 75-year-old Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit, whose body was returned by Hamas last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that “the Israeli government shares the deep sorrow of the Margalit family and all the families of the deceased hostages.” At the same time, the Prime Minister’s office reiterated that “the government and the entire Israeli hostage negotiation apparatus are determined, committed and work tirelessly towards the return of all our deceased hostages for a dignified burial in their homeland.”
«Hamas is obliged to respect its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement. We will not compromise on this point and will spare no effort until we return all the deceased hostages, every last one,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement relaunched by Ynet.
Hamas intends to maintain control of security in Gaza for an interim period, and cannot commit to disarming for now: this was stated in an interview published on the Reuters agency website by Hamas leader Mohammed Nazzal. «Positions which, according to Reuters, «reflect the difficulties the United States faces in ending the war» and show «the main issues that hinder efforts to consolidate the definitive end».
Hamas, “We have interim control over Gaza, let’s not disarm now”
A member of the Hamas politburo, interviewed by Reuters in Doha, Qatar, where the leaders of the armed Palestinian movement reside, Nazzal said the group was ready for a ceasefire of up to 5 years to rebuild devastated Gaza, with guarantees for what happens next, provided the Palestinians are given “horizons and hope” for the creation of a state. Asked whether Hamas intends to give up its weapons, Nazzal told Reuters: “I cannot answer with a yes or no. Frankly, it depends on the nature of the project. The disarmament project you are talking about, what does it mean? To whom will the weapons be handed over?” He added that the issues to be discussed in the next phase of negotiations, including that of weapons, concern not only Hamas, but also other Palestinian armed groups, and would require the Palestinians to reach a broader position. Hamas, Reuters recalls, agreed on October 4 to release the hostages and to entrust management to a committee of technicians, but stated that “other issues needed to be addressed in a broader Palestinian framework”. Nazzal then defended the executions documented in recent days carried out by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. There had always been “exceptional measures” during the war and those executed were criminals “guilty of murder”, he said. Finally, he declared that the group has no interest in retaining the remaining bodies of the deceased Israeli hostages, confirming that there are procurement problems and adding that international actors such as Turkey or the United States would contribute to the search if necessary.
Aghabekian, “Hamas will give up its weapons but needs guarantees”
Hamas “will give up its weapons” but “needs guarantees”. The Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, stated this in an interview with Corriere della Sera, explaining how Hamas is «aware that this is a fundamental step to move on to the application of the subsequent phases of Trump’s plan. Now the issue is to establish when and to whom the weapons should be handed over. They can be transferred to the Palestinian Authority or to one of the Arab, Muslim countries. These are important details that will need to be urgently discussed between all parties involved. I believe that when someone has to give up their weapons they want a guarantee that they will not be attacked. Hamas is in this condition.” Regarding the stabilization force that should guarantee security in the Strip, he specifies: «We are ready to accept a force made up of several countries, in which, however, a Palestinian component is present from the beginning. Right now we already have 5 thousand policemen who have been trained in Egypt. They are ready to take up service in Gaza. Looking ahead, the Palestinian Authority will have to take on the entire task of guaranteeing security. But we cannot accept that even one Israeli soldier is part of this force.”