Mossad Says Israel Studying Hamas' Response to Gaza Ceasefire Deal

JAKARTA - The Mossad intelligence agency said Wednesday night that Israel had received Hamas' response to a draft ceasefire agreement for the Gaza conflict and would evaluate the document.

A Mossad statement distributed by the Prime Minister's Office said that mediators "have conveyed" to Israeli negotiators "Hamas' statement on the outlines of the hostage deal."

"Israel is evaluating the statement and will convey its response to the mediators," the statement said, according to The Times of Israel on July 4.

Hamas confirmed that it had made its latest demands, saying it was "keen to reach an agreement to end the war, and our communication with the mediators continues."

"We exchanged several ideas with the mediators with the aim of ending the war and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip," Hamas said, claiming that it was flexible in its demands, while Israel "tried to deceive and evade."

In a later statement, Hamas said its Qatar-based politburo leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had spoken to mediators in Qatar and Egypt about the ideas being discussed. Hamas added that talks had also been held with Turkish officials regarding the latest developments.

"The movement responded with a positive spirit to the contents of the ongoing deliberations," he said.

Negotiations on the Hamas-Israel conflict have been going on for months by moderators, including the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, to reach a ceasefire and the release of some 120 hostages still in Gaza, as quoted by Reuters.

Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring about a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, says it will only accept a temporary pause in the fighting until Hamas is eradicated.