Hamas demands ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal as prerequisites for prisoner exchange deal

The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said in a statement on Friday that a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza are essential conditions for any prisoner exchange agreement.

The Brigades' spokesperson, Abu Ubaydah, emphasized in the statement that there would be no compromise on these demands.

Abu Ubaydah accused the Israeli government of "deceit" in the negotiation process, which he described as marked by "confusion and bewilderment."

The spokesperson also highlighted the plight of Gaza's residents, particularly children suffering from malnutrition, adding that the hostages taken by Hamas are also affected by the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

"Some of them are suffering from illness due to lack of food and medicine," he said.

On Thursday, Hamas announced that its delegation had left Cairo to consult with the movement's leadership on ceasefire negotiations, reaffirming its commitment to negotiations aimed at ending hostilities, assisting displaced individuals, and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza's residents.

The death toll of Palestinians from the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30,878, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said Friday.

During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 78 people and wounded about 104 others, the ministry said in a press statement, adding that out of the over 30,000 casualties, about 72 percent were women and children.

Facing a 'tragedy'

Commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said on Friday that the situation in the Gaza Strip defies description and has not been seen "in any previous crisis."

"We are facing a tragedy that is not related to food," Lazzarini said in a press statement, noting that people in Gaza suffer from deliberate starvation operations that could have been avoided.

He warned that the Gaza Strip, inhabited by about 2.35 million people, is on the verge of entering into a famine, and "children there are dying due to hunger and thirst," stressing the need to open land crossings for aid trucks to enter Gaza.

"Airdrops cannot replace land aid," he added.

According to the Gaza-based Health Ministry, at least 20 people, mostly children, have died as a result of malnutrition and drought caused by the war.

Meanwhile, Lazzarini said that the agency "has not yet received any evidence confirming Israel's allegations that UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 attack," noting that it would be wrong to dismantle the UNRWA before reaching a permanent political solution.

(With input from Xinhua)