Hamas ready to discuss deal without ‘permanent’ ceasefire

A senior Hamas official told AFP the group was prepared to hold negotiations over the release of hostages in Gaza without a “complete and permanent ceasefire.”

“This step was bypassed because the (Qatari) mediators promised that as long as negotiations over prisoners continued, the ceasefire would continue,” a senior Hamas official told AFP.

The group had already set a permanent ceasefire as a condition for beginning negotiations on a hostage exchange.