The Orientalist called the condition of the Hamas truce agreement with Israel

The Palestinian Hamas movement will agree to the ceasefire proposed by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Gaza Strip if guarantees are provided that the deal will be completed. Orientalist Kirill Semenov told Izvestia about this on May 30.

According to him, in previous truces, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used the cease—fire not to establish lasting peace, but to achieve their goals - the return of prisoners, the regrouping of the military.

"Last time, when some agreements were reached, (on a truce. Instead of fulfilling them, Israel simply launched its new operation, which continues to this day. Therefore, it makes no sense for Hamas to start a ceasefire and fulfill certain conditions until there are guarantees that the deal will be completed," Semenov said.

The orientalist added that Hamas does not seek a truce as such, the Palestinian movement is interested in sustainable peace in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas needs to understand that this will be a step towards peace, not a pause," the expert stressed.

He added that American President Donald Trump could influence Israel on the issue of observing the terms of the truce and reaching further sustainable agreements.

Boris Dolgov, a leading researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences, in an interview with Izvestia, in turn, recalled Trump's plan to turn the Gaza Strip into an enclave free from military operations, including the Palestinian population. Israel is also interested in this.

At the same time, some of the states of the Middle East are against it, the expert recalled.

"The US pressure on those Arab countries that oppose such a conflict resolution option will also work. What we are seeing now in the conflict between Israel and Hamas is the gradual advancement of this American plan," Dolgov said.

Boiling point: Humanitarian disaster worsens in Gaza amid Israel's plans to seize new territories

Despite US pressure, the IDF intends to occupy 75% of the sector's territory.

On May 29, the White House announced that Israel had approved the proposal of the US President's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and American leader Donald Trump for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Gaza. It was clarified that Tel Aviv's consent was received before sending the proposal to Hamas.

The Israeli Ynet portal adds that Witkoff's proposal implies an immediate cease-fire in the enclave for 60 days and the release of 10 hostages during the first week in two stages. Hamas will also have to hand over the bodies of 18 dead hostages to Israel. Otherwise, the IDF will be able to resume hostilities.

On the same day, Hamas announced that it was studying the conditions in accordance with the interests of the Palestinian people.