Senior Hamas official: 'Closer than ever to deal'

A senior Hamas official told the Saudi-owned Al-Sharq channel on Monday, speaking anonymously, that "we are closer than ever to reaching a prisoner exchange deal and a cease-fire, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not disrupt the agreement." He said that Hamas and other factions have shown "great flexibility" in agreeing to a gradual cessation of the war and a withdrawal according to an agreed timetable. He called on the U.S .administration to put pressure on Netanyahu to complete the move. The senior official emphasized that the factions will not give up on the main demands: "The agreement must lead to a permanent cessation of the war, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced and the conclusion of a respectable prisoner exchange deal;" he never used the term hostages.  He said that international mediators are working to intensify contacts to reach an agreement, but recommended avoiding revealing the details of the deal at this stage so as "not to give Netanyahu excuses to evade."