SCM Staff Writer I Tuesday, Sept 29, 2025
JERUSALEM – A senior Hamas official, Taher Al-Nono, stated that the terror group has not yet received a copy of the reported American proposal aimed at brokering a ceasefire and hostage release deal, claiming they were excluded from negotiations regarding the plan.
Speaking to Al-Araby TV, Al-Nono made clear that the release of the “Israeli prisoners” is explicitly linked to two major demands: “the end of the war” and “the withdrawal of the occupation from Gaza.”
This reiterates Hamas’s long-standing position and places a high bar on any potential agreement, which is likely to be viewed in Israel as a demand for a complete capitulation.
Al-Nono’s comments come amid reports of a new US-backed initiative attempting to secure a prolonged truce and the exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages for Palestinian security prisoners held in Israel.
”We were not part of the negotiations regarding the American proposal currently on the table,”
Al-Nono was quoted as saying.
He added that the group would “study the American plan in a way that guarantees the rights and interests of Palestinians” and is prepared to consider “any proposal that does not conflict with the interests of Palestinians.”
The Hamas leader also connected the group’s armed capability to political objectives, stating that “The resistance’s weapons are linked to the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
Furthermore, Al-Nono claimed a readiness for a comprehensive, long-term cessation of hostilities.
“We are ready for a truce that extends for years and we accepted Egypt’s proposal to form an independent administration for the Gaza Strip,” he asserted.
He concluded with a rejection of international oversight, stressing, “The Palestinian people are not minors and do not accept any guardianship from abroad.”
Hamas’s insistence on a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war as conditions for the release of hostages, including soldiers and civilians abducted during the October 7 massacre, remains the central sticking point preventing any current deal. Israel’s government has repeatedly vowed to continue the military campaign until Hamas’s governing and military capabilities are dismantled and all hostages are returned.
