By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) – Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said on Wednesday the group “appreciates” Lebanon’s right to reach an agreement that protects its people, and it hopes for a deal to end the war in Gaza.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement came into effect on Wednesday after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France, a rare victory for diplomacy in a region traumatised by two wars for over a year.
“Hamas appreciates the right of Lebanon and Hezbollah to reach an agreement that protects the people of Lebanon and we hope that this agreement will pave the way to reaching an agreement that ends the war of genocide against our people in Gaza,” Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
Without a similar deal in Gaza, where Hamas is battling Isareli forces, many residents said they felt abandoned.
Abu Zuhri blamed the failure to reach a ceasefire deal that would end the Gaza war on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly accused Hamas of foiling efforts.
“Hamas showed high flexibility to reach an agreement and it is still committed to that position and is interested in reaching an agreement that ends the war in Gaza,” Abu Zuhri said.
“The problem was always with Netanyahu who has always escaped from reaching an agreement,” he added.
Months of attempts to negotiate a ceasefire have yielded scant progress and negotiations are now on hold, with mediator Qatar saying it has told the two warring parties it would suspend its efforts until the sides are prepared to make concessions.
(Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Angus MacSwan)
