ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A senior politburo member of Hamas said that the group is ready to strike a deal with Israel for a ceasefire and end the 14-month-long offensive of the latter which claimed the lives of tens of thousands in the Gaza Strip.
"We are ready to immediately implement the resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza," Basim Naim, former Palestinian health minister and a Hamas politburo member told Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman during an interview in the Qatari capital of Doha last week.
However, Naim also emphasized that a key condition for Hamas is the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territories and the exchange of approximately 100 hostages currently held by the group for thousands of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
While international and regional media have suggested that Hamas holds between 110 and 120 hostages, Naim said that the actual number could be lower.
“It was reported that there were 110 to 120 prisoners still alive in Gaza, but with repeated bombings on wider areas, and disruptions in contact with both the captors and captives, these numbers have become uncertain,” Naim said.
Despite Hamas' long-standing call for a ceasefire, Israeli officials have stated that the group has been unwilling to meet their demands regarding hostages.
Naim attributed the failure of ceasefire negotiations to the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, according to Naim, has repeatedly blocked attempts at reaching an agreement.
“As a representative and leader of the movement, I know well how we initiated multiple attempts to reach a ceasefire deal, starting from the first weeks of the conflict. The last deal we had in 2007 was ready to be signed, but each time it was Netanyahu who dismantled the agreement,” Naim said.
He pointed out that several American and Israeli officials, including current and former defense secretaries, as well as heads of intelligence agencies, have openly stated that Netanyahu was responsible for obstructing the deals, often due to personal reasons.
Naim further suggested that Netanyahu's reluctance to end the conflict is driven by concerns over potential investigations into the Israeli leader's role in the October 7 attack, as well as the ongoing corruption charges he faces in Israeli courts.
“Some of this was due to personal reasons—Netanyahu realizes that a ceasefire in Gaza could lead to an investigation into why the October 7 attack occurred, which might end him in prison,” he added.
Since Hamas' attack on October 7, Israel has continued its military offensive in Gaza, which has led to the deaths of more than 45,000 people and left the enclave nearly uninhabitable.
Naim expressed optimism about the incoming President-Elect of the United States, Donald Trump, who has promised to end wars before taking office on January 20, including in Gaza.
However, Naim also voiced concerns about Trump’s policies, including his support for the annexation of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the annexation of the Golan Heights during his first term.
