Jerusalem, Dec 17 (EFE).- Hamas said on Sunday that there would be no hostage swap negotiations with Israel without a ceasefire to stop the fighting between the Palestinian Islamist group and the Israeli Army in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>
According to a Hamas statement, the Palestinian group opposes negotiations on the release of the Israeli hostages it holds in Gaza.<\/p>
\u201cThere will be no negotiation regarding any prisoner exchange deal unless there is a complete halt to aggression against the Gaza Strip and adherence to the conditions of the resistance,\u201d said the Hamas statement.<\/p>
The militant group said the position was conveyed to all mediators in the negotiations with Israel.<\/p>
It said the group was willing \u201cto engage in all efforts aimed at ending aggression in Gaza and the West Bank, releasing prisoners, and establishing a national framework for the recovery of national rights, leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem.\u201d\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>
On the other hand, the Israeli army admitted that its troops accidentally killed three hostages during combat in southern Gaza, amid growing pressure from the families of the kidnapped for a new truce that would allow them to be released after 71 days of war.<\/p>
“During combat in Shejaiya, the IDF mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed,\u201d government spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.<\/p>
“During searches and checks in the area in which the incident occurred, a suspicion arose over the identities of the deceased.<\/p>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government regretted \u201cthe tragic deaths of three of our kidnapped people.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cWe will learn the lessons,\u201d he said, adding that Israel would maintain \u201cthe military and diplomatic effort\u201d to bring back all the hostages.<\/p>
\u201cWe are fighting for our existence,\u201d Netanyahu said. \u201cWe have to continue until victory.\u201d EFE<\/p>
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