Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan reiterated on Tuesday that the release of hostages held in Gaza is contingent upon the establishment of a ceasefire. His statement comes following the conclusion of the third day of negotiations involving Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo.

Addressing reporters at a press conference in Beirut, Hamdan demanded a halt to the supply of weapons from Washington to Israel, stating, “We say to Washington, what is more important than sending aid [to Gaza] is stopping its supply of weapons to Israel,”

The ongoing talks in Cairo are believed to be the final hurdle toward achieving the war’s initial extended ceasefire. The proposed 40-day truce aims to facilitate the release of hostages and the provision of aid to Gaza, preventing famine ahead of the upcoming month of Ramadan, scheduled to begin early next week.

However, as of Tuesday, the negotiations appear to have hit obstacles. Egyptian sources, say that the talks have encountered “difficulties.”

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