TEHRAN (Iran News) – Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have confirmed that they are negotiating an end to the Israeli war on Gaza, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged Gaza territory, and the release of all Palestinian prisoners from the Israeli jails in return for the captives they are holding.

A member of the Hamas political bureau has denied what was published by Reuters, attributed to Egyptian security sources, regarding the discussions being mediated in Cairo.

Whilst the many reports emerging over the talks in Egypt have been conflicting, there does appear to be a consensus among the Palestinian resistance forces and civilians over the way forward.

One Hamas official reiterated that there will be no negotiations without a comprehensive cessation of the Israeli war, indicating that the movement seeks with all force to stop the regime’s aggression and massacres against the Palestinian people completely and not temporarily.

He added that the Palestinian people want an end to the Israeli massacres and are not waiting for temporary truces, after which the regime to resume its terrorism.

Hamas has also said it has “no knowledge” of the information Reuters reported.

The resistance group said, “We reiterate that there can be no negotiations without a comprehensive cessation of aggression.

“Hamas leadership seeks a permanent cessation to the aggression and massacres against our people.

“Our people want to see this aggression completely halted, and do not want to wait for a temporary or partial truce for a short period, after which the aggression and terrorism might fatally continue.”

The Palestinian Center for Policy Survey and Research recently revealed that support for Hamas has increased since the Israeli war on Gaza began, which indicates the Palestinian people back this position.

The researchers conducted the interviews with Gazans face-to-face during the seven-day truce?, at a time when they were extremely tired, thirsty, traumatized, and hungry.

This is an indication that the Palestinians in Gaza are wary that another temporary truce will only see the Israeli regime prepare itself to resume indiscriminate bombardment in the enclave.

The consensus in Gaza, among its people and their backing for the resistance, is that they have been starving and dying since the regime imposed a siege on the “world’s largest open-air prison” in 2006, and the only way forward now is either through death or victory.

They are not falling for an Israeli trick to accept another truce for a number of days.

Those who have lost their children, wives, parents and other family members, in previous Israeli wars on Gaza, are the same Palestinian men, among the ranks of Hamas and other resistance factions who are fighting the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip today.

Before the war, there were around 5,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails, but the number has now doubled to around 10,000 as the Israeli military has arrested thousands more in the occupied West Bank and Gaza since October 7, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Association.

According to sources, Cairo proposed holding elections and “provided guarantees to Hamas that its members will not be ‘chased or prosecuted’,” while the movement refused to relinquish power in Gaza in exchange for a permanent ceasefire only.

This would be defined as a victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Associated Press, citing a senior Egyptian official and a European diplomat, reported that Egypt had put forward a preliminary proposal to end the war on Gaza, which includes “a ceasefire, the gradual release of prisoners, and the formation of a Palestinian government of experts to manage the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.”

The proposal, which was reached with Qatar, was presented to the Israeli regime, Hamas, the United States, and European governments but “still appears at a preliminary stage,” according to the agency.

AP reported details about the “agreement”, which calls for an initial ceasefire for a period of up to two weeks, during which Hamas will release between 40 and 50 Israeli captives, in exchange for the release of between 120 and 150 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Simultaneously, negotiations will continue over the extension of the ceasefire and releasing more Israeli prisoners and dead bodies held by the Palestinian resistance.

Negotiations are also reportedly continuing for a comprehensive “all for all” agreement, in addition to the withdrawal of the occupying forces from Gaza and the resistance’s cessation of launching rockets towards the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Associated Press sources noted that Egyptian officials discussed the broad outlines of the proposal with the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, while the proposal is also scheduled to be presented to the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, Ziad al-Nakhalah.

Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said, “There can be no negotiations without a complete stop to the aggression.”

“The Hamas leadership is aiming with all its might for a complete, not temporary, end to the aggression and massacres of our people,” he said, referring to the more than 20,000 Palestinians killed during the 11-week Israeli war on Gaza.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad official familiar with the Cairo talks echoed al-Rishq’s denial, according to Reuters.

The Egyptian sources said that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have been holding separate talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, had rejected offering any concessions.

“After the aggression is stopped and the aid increased, we are ready to discuss prisoner swaps,” one Hamas official said.

The Islamic Jihad, which also holds Israeli captives in Gaza, has echoed this position.

A Palestinian Islamic Jihad delegation led by its leader Ziad al-Nakhala has traveled to Cairo to exchange ideas with Egyptian officials over prisoner swap offers and other issues, but an official said the resistance movement had set an end to Israel’s military offensive as a pre-condition for further negotiations.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad insists that any prisoner swap must be based on the principle of “all for all”, meaning the release of all captives held in Gaza by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in return for the freedom of all Palestinians jailed in Israel.

Separately, Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Ali Abu Shaheen later told Reuters that “the movement reaffirmed its position that the aggression against the Palestinian people must be ended and that it wasn’t in favor of temporary truces.”