In first, Hamas top leaders signal readiness for negotiated end to Gaza war

Senior Hamas official mentions possibility of recognizing Israel’s existence

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In a first since the beginning of the war between Israel and the Hamas terror organization, its main leader Ismail Haniyeh said the group is ready for a negotiated end to the conflict, without mentioning Hamas’ stated goal of destroying the Jewish state.

Hamas “is open to discussing any ideas or initiatives that could lead to stopping the aggression and open the door to putting the Palestinian house in order in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, leading to a political path that secures the right of the Palestinian people to their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital,” Haniyeh reportedly said.

These comments are unusually diplomatic for the leader of terrorist group that started the war against Israel by committing an indiscriminate massacre of civilians during its Oct. 7 attack.

“Putting the Palestinian house in order” refers to the years-long efforts to heal the rifts between Hamas and Fatah to create a Palestinian unity government under Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leadership.

The PLO government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is often internally criticized for its recognition of Israel’s existence and its reluctant security cooperation with Israeli forces.

Despite striking a somewhat more moderate tone in his televised address, without mentioning the need to destroy Israel, Haniyeh still praised his war effort on behalf of Palestinian fighters.

“The Palestinian people and their resistance still present a bright image of struggle and legendary steadfastness,” he said, adding that “The Battle of the al-Aqsa Flood [the war against Israel] was a resounding blow to the occupation.”

To achieve unity with the Palestinian Authority, Hamas would even be open to recognize Israel’s existence, Musa Abu Marzouk, another senior Hamas leader, suggested on Wednesday in an interview with al-Monitor.

“You should follow the official stance,” he said. “The official stance is that the PLO has recognized the State of Israel.”

It is unclear if these comments were meant to signal readiness to resume negotiations over a truce with Israel and the release of the remaining hostages as a tactic to deflect international criticism, or if they are possible indications of true war-weariness on the part of the terror organization.

During the more than two months of fighting, Israel has destroyed thousands of targets belonging to Hamas, which has lost as many as 7,000 fighters, with more being injured, as it is gradually losing its grip over the Gaza Strip.