The Israeli intelligence service announced that negotiations on a truce with Hamas are at an impasse for the time being, and emphasized that this Palestinian organization is not interested in peace.
The statement added that Israel remains in contact with mediators in an attempt to bridge the differences.
The head of Israel’s secret intelligence service, Mossad, David Barnea, met yesterday with the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns in an effort to promote a deal with Hamas to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to the same source.
“At this stage, Hamas reaffirms its position that it is not interested in an agreement and seeks to set fire to the region during Ramadan at the expense of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip. We emphasize that contacts and cooperation with mediators continue in an attempt to narrow differences and promote an agreement,” it was announced from of the Prime Minister’s Office on behalf of the Mossad.
Earlier, former CIA chief David Petraeus said at a conference in Tel Aviv on Friday that Israel can defeat the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and suggested what Israel should do next. Namely, he suggested to the Israelis that they must make the Gaza Strip a functional place to live again.
“Only if Gaza is restarted for Palestinian civilians, be it stable food distribution, serviceable hospitals and ultimately the possible return of civilians, will Israel really be able to end the source of support for Hamas,” he stated, Srna news agency writes.
