Hamas tells Sky News that Biden’s hopes for ceasefire by end of weekend in Israel-Hamas war are unrealistic.

According to a spokesperson for the Palestinian group, Joe Biden’s statement about a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is considered “wishful thinking” as negotiations for a lasting truce are ongoing.

The US president expressed his hope for a ceasefire to be agreed upon by the end of the weekend.

The current negotiations involve a weeks-long ceasefire plan that includes the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Stay updated with the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas conflict here

However, Basem Naim disagreed with the president’s statement, stating that Hamas would only agree to a deal with a complete ceasefire in place.

“It is wishful thinking,” he remarked. “Maybe due to internal US political affairs to ease tensions among the democratic parties during an election year.

“But in reality, there has been no formal proposal yet. There are still differences between our demands and the proposals from other parties.”

Speaking on The World with Yalda Hakim, Mr. Naim mentioned that the group aims to reach a deal by Ramadan, expected to begin on the evening of Sunday, March 10.

He also refuted claims that Palestinians are upset with Hamas leadership for hiding in tunnels, stating that most senior leaders are not underground.

Proximity talks discussing pause in fighting

Mediators are engaging in proximity talks in Qatar, meeting delegations from both sides separately.

The proposed six-week pause in fighting includes daily aid deliveries into Gaza through hundreds of trucks.

The presence of Israeli and Hamas representatives indicates progress in negotiations since February when Israel rejected a Hamas truce offer.

Publicly, both sides maintain differing stances on the objectives of a truce, while blaming each other for impeding progress.

Israel insists on a temporary pause for the release of hostages, while Hamas demands a permanent end to the war for their release.

This is a developing news story and updates will be provided shortly.

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