Al-Hayya: There is No Meaning in Continuing Negotiations Amid Starvation

SadaNews - Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, stated in a video message he delivered on Sunday evening, amidst the starvation and malnutrition that are claiming the lives of residents in the strip, that there is no meaning in continuing negotiations under the blockade, emphasizing that the immediate entry of aid is a serious expression regarding the feasibility of continuing them. This comes as Hamas expressed its "surprise" on Thursday night - Friday regarding statements made by the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Wittecov, concerning the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, affirming its commitment to continue talks to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement. **Progress Before Withdrawal** Khalil Al-Hayya said: "We achieved progress in the last round of negotiations and largely agreed with what was presented in the file of withdrawal, prisoners, and aid." He added that "the mediators conveyed to us positive responses from the occupation, before we were surprised by its withdrawal from the round of negotiations with the American envoy." **Israeli-American Withdrawal Aims to 'Waste Time'** He mentioned that "the occupation's and Wittecov's withdrawal from the negotiations aims at wasting time and increasing the genocide in Gaza." He stressed that "the occupation insists on taking a wide area of Rafah to establish a buffer zone for the displaced, paving the way for a process of displacement through Egypt or the sea." He added that "the occupation and Wittecov presented notes regarding the management of aid and the insistence on the continuation of the aid distribution mechanism." **'No Meaning in Continuing Negotiations Under Siege'** Al-Hayya mentioned that "there is no meaning in continuing negotiations under the siege, genocide, and starvation in the Gaza Strip." He added that the immediate entry of medicine and food in a dignified manner is a true expression of the feasibility of continuing the negotiations." Al-Hayya emphatically stated: "We reject air-drop operations for aid, as they are propaganda to obscure the occupation's crimes in Gaza." **Call to Stop Genocide and Displacement Plans, Especially from Jordan and Egypt** He called on "the countries of the Arab and Islamic nations to cut all forms of political and diplomatic relations with the occupation." He added: "We call on the peoples of the neighboring countries to Palestine to march by land and sea, besiege embassies, and boycott everything related to the occupation... We urge the scholars of our nation to lead the masses to confront the criminal enemy." Al-Hayya mentioned: "We call on our people in Jordan to continue efforts to stop the heinous crime against the Gaza Strip and the division of Al-Aqsa Mosque." He added that "the occupation has turned the Rafah crossing into an area for killing and starvation, to implement its displacement plan, and we look forward for Egypt to determine its decisive stance." The head of Hamas in Gaza stated that "the occupation covers up its failure in the Gaza Strip with genocide, starvation, and killing children." Hamas had stated in a declaration that it "has dealt, since the beginning of the negotiation process, with all national responsibility and high flexibility in various files, and was keen to reach an agreement that stops the aggression and ends our people's suffering in the Gaza Strip." It added that it "has presented its final response after extensive consultations with Palestinian factions, mediators, and friendly countries." Hamas leader and member of the negotiation team, Ghazi Hamad, stated during a meeting via "Al-Arabiya TV" on Saturday evening that "Hamas has always presented positive, flexible, and advanced positions to reach a ceasefire agreement, and I believe there are many testimonies, facts, and realities, even those observed by the mediators in their dealings with Hamas in various rounds of negotiations, because Hamas has always been serious and concerned with reaching an agreement." He added: "What happened recently is that we were surprised by this position, despite having presented a rational and objective vision that closely aligned with the proposal of the (US envoy to the Middle East Steve) Wittecov. I believe that even the mediators indicated that we were closer than ever to reaching an agreement that would end the state of war and aggression and bring us to a final agreement that would shape the situation in the Gaza Strip." Hamad continued: "We were surprised by the withdrawal of the Israeli delegation and by the statements of the US president, and I believe they are all unjustified, illogical, and have no basis or credibility, because as I said, our position is indeed positive and realistic and has presented a vision for all the issues raised, whether related to the topic of aid or the guarantees for the continuation of negotiations beyond 60 days."