Hamas senior official Osama Hamdan on Monday criticized US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an updated proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Hamdan told Reuters that Blinken’s statement "raises many ambiguities" because it is "not what was presented to us nor what we agreed on."
He added that Hamas has already confirmed to mediators that "we don't need new Gaza ceasefire negotiations, we need to agree on an implementation mechanism."
Hamdan also told Reuters that the group’s new chief Yahya Sinwar, who was recently named Ismail Haniyeh’s replacement as head of Hamas’ political bureau, has always been part of the decision making process in the Gaza ceasefire talks.
“Due to security conditions, communication with Sinwar has tools and mechanisms in place yet they are operating smoothly,” Hamdan stated.
Hamdan’s comments came after Blinken told reporters that Netanyahu told him that he accepts the ceasefire deal proposed by the US last week and that they are now waiting to hear that Hamas has done the same.
"There is a real sense of urgency in the region to get the deal to the finish line and the US is deeply committed to getting the deal done now," he said.
On Sunday, Hamas officially announced that it is rejecting the proposal for an agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire as presented at the summit in Doha, Qatar.
"The proposal completely meets Netanyahu's conditions and especially his refusal to a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and his insistence on continuing to occupy the Netzarim axis, the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor. It also adds new conditions regarding the exchange of prisoners, and a withdrawal of the Israeli position in other sections, which prevents the success of the deal," Hamas said.
The terrorist organization also stated that "Hamas places full responsibility on Netanyahu for the failure of the efforts of the mediators, and the failure to reach an agreement, as well as the full responsibility for the lives of the hostages, who face the same dangers that the Palestinians face due to the war."
Hamas demanded a complete withdrawal of the IDF from the Philadelphi Corridor and a minimal release of living hostages.
At the end of last week, a senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that any ceasefire and hostage deal that would be signed must "guarantee the war's end and a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip."
The official added that any agreement "must include mass humanitarian aid being sent to the Strip, and a meeting of demands regarding the release of Palestinian prisoners."
Despite Hamas’ statements against the proposed outline, a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Friday that the process of a ceasefire and hostage release deal “is now in the end game.”