Osama Hamdan. (Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib / Flash90)
Hamas senior leader Osama Hamdan gave an interview to al-Jazeera today (Tuesday), rejecting any third party presence on the Gaza-Egypt border and dismissing Prime Minister Netanyahu's press conference in favor of retaining control of Philadelphi.
Hamdan said that the terrorist organization's stance has not changed, and that no full hostage deal is possible without complete withdrawal from the Strip, "serious" release of prisoners, and a permanent ceasefire.
Regarding the cause of the six hostages' deaths, Hamdan claimed that they had been killed by Israeli shelling or fire or crossfire with Hamas terrorists, a position at odds with the IDF and the results of its medical examinations.