Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Wednesday that the reports about Hamas' decision to freeze negotiations on a ceasefire agreement are not true.
He claimed that Hamas continues its efforts to end the war, in accordance with the conditions it set in the negotiations with Israel which are conducted through mediators.
Haniyeh’s comments came during a meeting held in Qatar with Dr. Bassel Al-Hassan, the chairman of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, as part of the discussion on the issue of “Palestinian refugees” in Lebanon and the situation of the UN agency for “Palestinian refugees”, UNRWA.
Haniyeh also praised the role of Qatar in the indirect negotiations with Israel, expressing his hope that a ceasefire agreement will be reached soon, and his confidence in the state of the Palestinian "resistance" in the political arena and in the area of conflict with Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Knesset on Wednesday that "we are making systematic progress towards achieving the goals of the war - the release of the hostages, the elimination of Hamas, and the promise that Gaza will not pose a threat to Israel."
"Hamas is under pressure because we are eliminating its commanders and terrorists, because we entered Rafah and Philadelphi and we are holding it by the throat."