The Palestinian terrorist organization’s diplomatic arm released a statement on Friday saying that it tentatively agreed to free Israeli hostages.
A rift between Hamas’ political leadership and its armed wing in Gaza could complicate the execution of President Trump’s peace plan that would end the ongoing war with Israel, according to a report.
The Palestinian terrorist organization’s diplomatic arm released a statement on Friday saying that it tentatively agreed to free Israeli hostages in accordance with Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza — though it sought further talks on key sticking points.
But wide swaths of the faction remain opposed to two key demands in the Trump peace plan — disarmament and the release of nearly 50 Israeli hostages — both living and the remains of those killed — within 72 hours.
Arab mediators told the Wall Street Journal on Friday that there is a clear division between Hamas negotiators that are based outside of Gaza and the group’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
While the negotiators are inclined to accept the Trump plan with reservations, the group’s militant wing remains adamantly opposed to surrendering its weapons and freeing hostages, the Journal reported.
Hamas would only consider freeing hostages if there was a clear-cut pledge from Israel to withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip, the report stated.
Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’ most senior negotiator, and several other members of the group’s politburo back the Trump plan despite several major reservations, according to Arab officials who spoke to the Journal.
