Hamas Calls Biden's Remarks on 'Proximity to Ceasefire' in Gaza a 'Delusion'

A senior Hamas official claimed that Biden's optimistic statements about the proximity of a ceasefire in Gaza are a 'delusion.' Sami Abu Zuhri, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told AFP, 'To say that we are close to an agreement is nothing more than an illusion. We are not facing a real agreement or negotiations, but rather the imposition of American orders.' These remarks were in response to Biden's comments on Friday after two days of negotiations in Qatar, where he stated, 'We are closer to an agreement than ever before.' These negotiations aimed to resolve the disputes between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which have been engaged in conflict in Gaza for over 10 months. Despite previous hopes for a ceasefire agreement, these optimistic expectations have yet to materialize. However, since the killing of Fouad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, and Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, in late July, the situation has become more complicated. The U.S. President on Friday, August 16, issued a statement describing the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza as 'growing' and warned all parties involved in the region against 'any action to undermine this process.' He referred to his calls with the Emir of Qatar and the President of Egypt on Friday to discuss 'significant progress' made in Doha during the past two days of negotiations, adding, 'They expressed their strong support for the U.S. proposal in the ceasefire process during our discussions.' The U.S. President further stated, 'Groups from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar will remain in the region to continue technical work, and senior officials from the mediating countries will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week.' Joe Biden also emphasized, 'I am regularly updated on the latest developments in the negotiations, and I will send Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel in the coming days to reaffirm the U.S.'s unwavering support for Israel's security.' A joint statement from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar presented a new proposal for achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. Egypt stated that if there is political will, a ceasefire in Gaza is possible. An American official described the ceasefire and hostage release negotiations in Doha as 'very constructive.' An Israeli attack on a Hezbollah weapons depot left 10 dead and 5 injured. The U.S. warned the Islamic Republic that if it attacks Israel, it will face 'catastrophic' consequences. A senior Hamas official claimed that the U.S. proposal aligns with the new conditions set by Israel. Biden warned all parties in the Middle East: no one should undermine the 'growing peace process in Gaza.' Biden stated, 'We are closer to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza than ever before.'