Hamas Eases Ceasefire Terms, Israel Considers Proposal
Image Source: France 24
Hamas has accepted a phased US-backed proposal to begin ceasefire talks with Israel for the release of Israeli hostages, while dropping a major demand that Israel commits to a complete end to the war in Gaza. The proposal was accepted 16 days after the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the war, according to a Hamas official and an Egyptian official on Saturday.
The compromise made by the group could lead to a potential pause in fighting in the region, the first pause since the inception of the war on October 7. It also sets the stage to resume further talks that could eventually lead to the end of nine months of devastating fighting. The demand for a complete ceasefire, which has been a key aspect of ceasefire deals proposed by Hamas, had been dropped following Israel’s refusal to accept any proposal with the same. Negotiations are to be achieved throughout the six-week phase where a “full and complete” ceasefire would take place, during which old, sick, and female hostages would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian captives. Moreover, Israeli forces would retreat from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow for the return of displaced people to their homes in Northern Gaza.
The proposal could also lead to a framework agreement if embraced by Israel, potentially ending the nine-month war in Gaza, according to a Palestinian official closely involved in the internationally mediated negotiation deals. William Burns, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, will also be traveling to Qatar for negotiations next week. The discussions would focus on resolving a Hamas demand that joint international mediating forces – USA, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt – guarantee in writing a temporary ceasefire, a steady flow of aid, and withdrawal of Israeli troops if talks on implementing the second phase of the plan continued. There was now a real chance of acceptance of an agreement, according to a source from Israel’s negotiating team who spoke on the condition of anonymity. This is in sharp contrast to past instances where Israel claimed Hamas’ conditions to be unacceptable. A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to any requests for comment, and his office claimed that talks would resume next week while emphasising that gaps in the deal remained.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have continued their attacks on Gaza, killing at least 29 and wounding 100, according to Palestinian health ministries. Among those killed in separate airstrikes were five local journalists, raising the death toll of total journalists killed in the war to 158. In an airstrike on a vehicle on Saturday, four Palestinian police officers had been killed alongside eight wounded ones, health officials said. Israel, which has deepened its incursions on Rafah, claims that these “intelligence-based operations” aim to eradicate the last remaining Hamas armed wing battalions. These operations have supposedly destroyed several underground structures, killed Palestinian gunmen, and seized weapons and equipment.
Meanwhile, daily clashes between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah have been escalating along the Israel-Lebanon border, raising concerns regarding a fully-fledged war.
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