A senior Hamas official stated on Tuesday that the Palestinian militant group is reviewing new proposals from mediators to end the Gaza war, though reiterated that any agreement must include a full Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave. "The movement has confirmed it is open to any deal or ideas that ends the suffering of our people in Gaza and achieves a permanent ceasefire, and the occupation's withdrawal from all of Gaza Strip," Sami Abu Zuhri said in a televised address. He added that any agreement should also lift the Israeli-led blockade of the coastal enclave, allow unrestricted relief aid and reconstruction of Gaza, and include a swap of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Abu Zuhri’s statement reflected no changes to the group’s existing conditions. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that the conflict will only end with Hamas’s elimination. Qatar will continue mediating, working with the administration of US President Joe Biden "until the last minute" before the 5 November presidential election to secure a Gaza ceasefire agreement, a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. “We don't foresee any negative impact from the elections on the mediation process itself. We believe we are working with institutions, and in a country like the United States, these institutions are invested in resolving this crisis,” spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari stated at a press conference. (With inputs from Reuters)
