It must be a more lasting solution, says Hamas leader Taher al-Nunu, who previously was a close associate of the now deceased Hamas leader Ismail Haniya.
The idea that the war would be temporarily paused, only to be resumed later, is something we have already taken a stand on. Hamas wants to see a permanent end to the war, not a temporary one, says al-Nunu to AFP.
Negotiations about ending the deadly violence have continued over the past weeks. Israel has briefly demanded that Hamas release hostages, while Hamas has demanded that Israel, in turn, commit to ending the war and withdrawing its forces from Gaza.
According to the latest information leaking from the countries sitting at the negotiating table, a proposal for a ceasefire lasting "less than a month" is expected. As part of this, it is proposed that Israeli hostages will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and that more humanitarian aid will be allowed into the civilian population in devastated Gaza.
From an American perspective, one believes that a temporary ceasefire could very well lead to a more permanent one, says an anonymous source to AFP.