Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas' political wing, on 3 December said that the group would not give Israel any further 'free concessions' to reach a ceasefire. 'The Palestinians proclaimed a truce several months ago which failed because the enemy pursued its crimes and refused to release prisoners,' Meshaal told the London-based daily Al-Hayat. 'Consequently, we have no interest in speaking again of a truce and offering free concessions.'