By Ingy Ashraf,
According to Reuters, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have presented Hamas with the first concrete proposal for a long term ceasefire, which Israel and the United States agreed to at negotiations in Paris last week. Hamas is investigating the offer and will respond.
Hamas won’t accept new offers for truce or the release of held captives unless Israel commits to end the war and leaving the strip, a Palestinian official close to peace talks said on Thursday.
An initial ceasefire would last 40 days, during which Hamas would free the remaining hostages among the nearly 130 Israeli hostages it still holds. In subsequent phases, Israeli soldiers would be released, followed by the return of the dead hostages.
Palestinian official stated,“I expect that Hamas will not reject the paper, but it might not give a decisive agreement either”
“Instead, I expect them to send a positive response, and reaffirm their demands: for the agreement to be signed, it must ensure Israel will commit to ending the war in Gaza and pull out from the enclave completely.”
The diplomatic progress comes with doubt regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance, which is assumed to require the crisis to continue in order to save his political career. Netanyahu emphasizes that there won’t be a ceasefire until all hostages are returned and Hamas is eliminated.
John Kirby the US National Security Council spokesman stated: “I can’t speak to the prime minister’s public comments, all I can tell you is that the conversations we have had in recent days with our counterparts, including Israel, lead us to believe that there is real potential progress here toward getting a deal.”
Number of Palestinians were murdered in the war exceeded 27000, with many more uncounted dead still buried under rubble.
Osama Ahmed, 49, a father of five from Gaza City now sheltering in western Khan Younis along the Mediterranean coast, said there had been fierce resistance in the city, and relentless bombardment from air, ground and sea as tanks advance.
He stated, “They haven’t entered deep into Al-Mawasi where we live but everyday they get closer,” He countered, “All we want is a ceasefire now and to return to our homes, end the war and humiliation.”
