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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Hamas says it receives no serious hostage-release proposals from Israel

According to Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran, Hamas’ priority remains to "put an end to the aggression" against the enclave

DUBAI, December 22. /TASS/. The radical Palestinian movement Hamas has not received any serious proposals from Israel on the release of hostages held in Gaza, Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran told Al Jazeera.

"[Israel] has not made any serious or real proposals on the hostage issue," Badran stressed.

He also accused the Israeli authorities of trying "to mislead the families" of the Israeli nationals held in Gaza. According to Badran, Hamas’ priority remains to "put an end to the aggression" against the enclave. The movement "will be able to discuss all [other] issues" only after this goal is achieved, he added.

Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The ceasefire took effect on November 24. The agreement stipulated that three Palestinian women and children would be released from Israeli prisons in exchange for every Israeli hostage freed from captivity. The parties extended the ceasefire several times but on December 1, the Israeli army accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and resumed combat operations in the Gaza Strip. Hamas political bureau member Osama Hamdan said on December 5 that the movement would not release the rest of the hostages until Israel ended its aggression against Gaza.

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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