The Palestinian movement Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, welcomed Monday’s UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, declaring the need for a permanent ceasefire and readiness for an immediate prisoner exchange, the movement said in a statement.
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“The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas welcomes the UN Security Council’s call for an immediate ceasefire, and we stress the need to achieve a permanent ceasefire that will lead to the withdrawal of all Zionist forces from the Gaza Strip and the return of displaced persons to the homes from which they fled,” the statement said.
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In this regard, Hamas called on the UN Security Council to put pressure on Israel so that it “observes the ceasefire and stops genocide and ethnic cleansing against our people.”
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“We also confirm our readiness to participate in an immediate process of prisoner exchange, which will lead to the release of prisoners on both sides,” the movement said in a statement.
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In addition, Hamas indicated that “in the context of the text of the resolution, it is important to ensure freedom of movement for Palestinian citizens and access to all humanitarian needs of all residents in all areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as the passage of heavy equipment to clear the rubble so that we can bury our martyrs who have been waiting for months remained under the rubble.”
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Earlier on Monday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution for the first time since October 7 demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for the month of Ramadan, which would lead to a long-term sustainable truce. Fourteen countries voted in favor, while the United States abstained. The text of the resolution does not link the ceasefire to the release of the abducted, which is a stumbling block for Israel.
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The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already said that the United States has moved away from its consistent position on the war in the Gaza Strip, adding that it is damaging Israel’s military efforts and prospects for returning the hostages. The office added that in light of the change in US position, Netanyahu decided not to send a high-ranking delegation to Washington to discuss the planned operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip to eliminate the remaining battalions of the Palestinian radical movement Hamas.
