GAZA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The recent round of Gaza truce talks concluded on Sunday in the Egyptian capital Cairo, with the Hamas delegation leaving for Qatar to conduct additional discussions on a ceasefire proposal, according to a senior Hamas official.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the delegation would "continue their discussion over the ceasefire deal in Gaza."
The negotiations have not failed, "but the movement needs to discuss some points of the new proposal," he stressed.
In a statement released shortly after the conclusion of the truce talks, Hamas said it had delivered the movement's response to mediators from Egypt and Qatar.
In the statement, Hamas affirmed that it takes "a positive and responsible approach" towards reaching an agreement that "meets the national demands of our people, ends the aggression completely, achieves Israeli withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, facilitates the return of the displaced, intensifies relief efforts, begins reconstruction, and completes the prisoner exchange deal."
The Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday for negotiations on an Egypt-proposed truce initiative. Israel did not send officials to participate in the talks.
The Egyptian initiative, which includes three stages, aimed at exchanging Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, taking necessary measures to reach a ceasefire, and restoring sustainable calm.
The first phase of the proposed initiative spans 40 days and stipulates a temporary halt of military operations between the two sides, an exchange of detainees and prisoners, and the return of internally displaced civilians to their areas of residence in Gaza.
It intends to facilitate the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid, relief materials and fuel into Gaza, as well as the equipment needed to remove rubble and rehabilitate and operate hospitals, health centers and bakeries in the enclave.
The proposed deal also aims to facilitate the entry of the supplies necessary to establish shelter camps to accommodate homeless Palestinians.
Cairo, Doha, and Washington mediated a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas that ended in late November 2023, which included a swap between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages as well as more humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza. ■
