Hamas says Hezbollah has right to agree to ceasefire, hopes for deal in Gaza

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri says the group understands Lebanon’s right to reach an agreement that protects its people and is hoping for a deal to end the war in Gaza.

“Hamas appreciates the right of Lebanon and Hezbollah to reach an agreement that protects the people of Lebanon and we hope that this agreement will pave the way to reaching an agreement that ends the war of genocide against our people in Gaza,” Abu Zuhri tells Reuters.

Interlocutors have expressed hopes that the loss of support from Hezbollah will help isolate Hamas and push it toward a deal releasing hostages and ending the fighting in Gaza.

Abu Zuhri blames the failure to reach a ceasefire deal on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly accused Hamas of foiling efforts.

“Hamas showed high flexibility to reach an agreement and it is still committed to that position and is interested in reaching an agreement that ends the war in Gaza,” Abu Zuhri says. “The problem was always with Netanyahu who has always escaped from reaching an agreement.”

In the West Bank, senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein Al-Sheikh welcomes the agreement in Lebanon.

“We welcome the decision to ceasefire in Lebanon, and we call on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its criminal war in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and to stop all its escalatory measures against the Palestinian people,” Sheikh, a confidant of President Mahmoud Abbas, posted on X.