The Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas is calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip before any agreement is reached on a new deal for the release of further hostages. Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad also told dpa on Thursday that negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States had recently seen little progress. According to Hamas sources in Beirut, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a ceasefire as a first step. Hamas, on the other hand, has rejected a proposal by Israel for the Hamas leadership to leave the Gaza Strip as part of a negotia…