Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s chief negotiator in the ceasefire deal announced Thursday, delivered his first public remarks since the agreement was reached, declaring that the group had secured U.S. guarantees to end the war “indefinitely” and confirming the key terms of the accord with Israel. Speaking in Gaza City, al-Hayya claimed Hamas had “acted responsibly” throughout negotiations led by mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, with backing from Iran and Yemen, and that the agreement marked the “end of the war” and the start of an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. “Today we announce an agreement to end the war, [see Israel] withdraw from the Strip and carry out a prisoner exchange,” al-Hayya said. “We received guarantees from the mediators and the Americans that the war has ended indefinitely.” The deal — officially announced earlier Thursday by the White House and the Israeli government — calls for the release of all 48 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza in exchange for 250 Palestinian security prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 additional detainees from Gaza who were imprisoned after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The later stages of the agreement, which include Hamas’s disarmament and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, have yet to be negotiated. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said earlier Thursday that Israel “is not preparing to renew the war,” signaling that Jerusalem is prepared to uphold the ceasefire as long as Hamas complies with its terms. Al-Hayya’s speech blended triumph and defiance, framing the agreement as both a military and diplomatic victory for Hamas. “Just as they were men on the battlefield, so we were men at the negotiating table,” he said, referring to Hamas operatives killed in the fighting. By invoking American “guarantees” of peace, al-Hayya appeared to credit President Donald Trump’s administration with playing a decisive role in finalizing the agreement — a claim that could complicate Israel’s domestic debate over the deal and its long-term implications for Gaza’s future governance. The remarks also underscored the influence of regional powers long aligned with Hamas. “We thank Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their mediation, and we thank our brothers in Iran and Yemen for their steadfast support,” al-Hayya said, acknowledging Tehran and the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen — both of which have maintained hostilities against Israel throughout the war. While the ceasefire represents the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the conflict erupted last year, Israeli officials have yet to confirm the duration or scope of the American “guarantees” cited by al-Hayya — leaving key questions about enforcement and verification still unresolved. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)  | Read More The Yeshiva World