No time to blame: Fatah called on Hamas to agree to a truce at any cost
Disagreements between the largest Palestinian movements have escalated amid the discussion of the terms of the truce in Gaza. Fatah spokesman Munzir Hayek told Izvestia that Hamas had not coordinated with the faction and had not shared the contents of the latest Israeli proposal. He added that the humanitarian situation in the exclave has reached a critical point, and called for accepting the agreement at any cost. On July 9, Hamas announced an agreement to release 10 hostages, but unresolved issues remain. The Israeli media, citing a senior official, reports that the parties have already agreed on 80-90% of the parameters of the hostage release and ceasefire deal. In the coming days, the Jewish state will present a new withdrawal map from Gaza.
Differences between Fatah and Hamas
The conflict between the two largest Palestinian forces, Fatah and Hamas, is intensifying amid ongoing negotiations on a cease-fire in Gaza. Despite the fact that the Fatah leadership supported the proposed truce, the movement emphasizes that Hamas did not consult with them when preparing a response to the mediators. In an interview with Izvestia, Fatah spokesman Munzir Hayek, who represents the movement in Gaza, said: an agreement is necessary to save the civilian population, but added that there is not even an indirect connection between the two groups today.
— Hamas as a whole has not contacted us about the new proposal. They call it a political initiative on Palestinian issues, but they did not consult with Fatah, did not inform us about the essence of the proposal, and did not even send comments, Hayek said. — Nevertheless, in Fatah, we support this proposal because it can stop the insane war against the Palestinian people — a wave of murders, terrorism, famine, and catastrophic living conditions. We must move towards an agreement, even if it is temporary.
Hamas confirmed its agreement to Israel's cease-fire proposal and expressed its readiness for negotiations. At the same time, according to the media, the movement demanded to change three points: the order of delivery of humanitarian aid, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and guarantees of a permanent truce. Israel rejected these conditions, calling them unacceptable.
"We advise Hamas to accept the truce by any means necessary and find a way to stop the massacre in Gaza. We live in conditions of genocide in every sense: daily massacres, no food, no drinking water, the air is polluted, there is no medical supply. I've seen amputations performed dozens of times without anesthesia or medication. The situation is terrible," the Fatah representative added.
The differences between the two leading Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas were largely the result of Israeli policy. In 2003, the Prime Minister of the Jewish State, Ariel Sharon, unilaterally withdrew Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip without coordination with the Palestinian National Authority (PA). This caused dissatisfaction with Fatah, as it was excluded from the key process concerning the Palestinian territories, which undermined its political position and authority among the population. Hamas, in turn, took advantage of the situation: it presented Israel's withdrawal as its own military and political victory. This caused serious reputational damage to the PA and intensified the intra-Palestinian split.
How are the Gas negotiations progressing
Meanwhile, the fifth round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a truce and a hostage release deal has ended in Doha. At the same time, the press of the Jewish state, citing a senior official, reported that the parties had already agreed on 80-90% of the parameters of the deal. Negotiations are continuing, and Israel is counting on an early breakthrough.
"Hamas, in fact, rejected the Qatari proposal. But the discrepancies are not so great that it would be impossible to negotiate. We hoped that the response would be positive, and then everything could be resolved in a few days. But it will take more time," the Israeli representative said.
On July 9, Hamas announced its readiness to release 10 Israeli hostages as part of ongoing consultations in Doha. This decision, as emphasized in the official statement, was made in the hope of giving momentum to the protracted negotiations, while key issues remain unresolved. According to the statement, consultations are continuing on a number of fundamental issues: the unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and the provision of international guarantees for a sustainable ceasefire.
The Al Arabi Al Jadeed newspaper reported that progress had been made in the negotiations on a mechanism for the delivery of humanitarian aid. According to the newspaper, Hamas insists that during the truce period, aid to Gaza should be delivered exclusively through the UN structure, and not through the American Humanitarian Fund for Gaza (GHF).
Meanwhile, information has spread about a disagreement between the parties over Israel's plans to redeploy troops. According to the Times of Israel, the Jewish state will present a new withdrawal map in the coming days, as the previous version was rejected by Hamas. The main subject of the dispute is the Morag corridor between Rafah and Khan Yunis in the south of the exclave. According to a Haaretz source, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on maintaining control over the strategically important site.
The project, which is actively promoted by the American GHF Foundation, caused even more concern. According to the Reuters news agency, the organization proposes to create "humanitarian transit zones" on the territory of the sector — large-scale camps for Palestinians, which supposedly will be an alternative to Hamas control. According to the plan, residents of the enclave will be able to "de-radicalize" and, if desired, prepare for resettlement from Gaza. The text of the document emphasizes that accommodation in such camps will be voluntary. This project has already been called a disguised deportation and a mechanism for cleansing the territory, pointing to the risk of forced displacement of the population and the denial of the Palestinian right to self-determination.
This week, Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss the deal. However, no public statements have been made about a breakthrough in the negotiations on a truce in Gaza or the release of hostages. But it was this topic that became the main one on the agenda of the negotiations.
According to Palestinian expert Hani Salah, the Hamas movement has already demonstrated goodwill by releasing Idan Alexander, a prisoner with dual American and Israeli citizenship, in order to create conditions for the cessation of hostilities.
— We are not talking about the final agreement yet, but only about the primary framework document, the details of which are still being discussed. Hamas insists on a clear legal formulation of the conditions in order to avoid ambiguities that Israel previously used to circumvent agreements, Salah told Izvestia.
Despite the lack of agreement between the Palestinian factions and the differences between the parties to the conflict, the likelihood of a truce remains relatively high. International mediators are trying with renewed vigor to bring the positions of Israel and Hamas closer. On the other hand, the Palestinian civilian population continues to live in a humanitarian catastrophe. Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, including Maxim Kharkin, a native of Donbass. According to Israeli estimates, more than half of the detainees have already died.
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