On December 13, Hamas affirmed its readiness to discuss with Israel to seek a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, while the US, Russia and the European Union (EU) continued to express concerns about the conflict in the region.
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| Political leader of the Hamas Islamist movement Ismail Haniyeh in the Gaza Strip. (Source: Reuters) |
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said the group, which is ruling Gaza, is ready to discuss with Israel any agreement or initiative that could lead to a ceasefire in the region.
“We are ready to discuss any ideas or initiatives that could open up opportunities to put Palestinian homes in place in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” Mr. Haniyeh said in a televised speech.
Mr Haniyeh also declared that any settlement in Gaza without Hamas was an "illusion".
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen asserted that agreeing to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at this stage would be a mistake.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Cohen stated: “Israel will continue the fight against Hamas with or without international support. We will not allow this organization to return or threaten the people of Israel.”
The Jewish state's diplomat also called on the international community to act more “effectively and proactively” to protect vital shipping lanes.
Israel's statement was made despite the US warning the Middle Eastern country of Washington's concerns about civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip.
“We have concerns and have expressed concerns about the prosecution of the military campaign, even as we acknowledge that Hamas initiated it,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has planned to travel to Israel on December 14-15 to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the cabinet and President Isaac Herzog of the host country to discuss the latest developments in the Jewish State and the Gaza Strip.
As for Russia, a country that has repeatedly called for the establishment of a Palestinian state and has cooperative relations with both the Hamas Islamist movement and Israel, Moscow has called on United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to organize an international conference to find a lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Speaking to Russian lawmakers, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed: “The only way for this issue to be resolved completely and fairly is to hold an international conference with the participation of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council.”
According to him, this conference should include representatives of countries belonging to the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Stating that the UN "should play a leading role in convening such an event", the Russian foreign minister also affirmed that Moscow was working hard to free hostages taken by Hamas in an unprecedented attack on Israel in October.
With the EU, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen said she supported imposing sanctions on "extremist" Israeli settlers responsible for attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Speaking at a meeting with the European Parliament, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen assessed that the increase in violence by extremist settlers is causing great suffering for Palestinians, while weakening the prospect of a lasting peace and possibly exacerbating instability in the region.
The EC President's remarks came after the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on December 11 that he would propose sanctions against settlers in the West Bank.
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