Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said a proposal for a new Gaza ceasefire is “far from Israel’s basic requirements” but negotiations will continue.
His comments came after Hamas said it had accepted the truce terms offered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
“The ball is now in Israel’s court,” an official in the Palestinian group said.
Israeli forces and tanks were spotted near the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza, according to reports in Israeli media.Earlier, Israel’s military conducted airstrikes on Rafah after warning Palestinians to evacuate eastern areas of the city.The operation is believed to impact tens of thousands of residents.Many were seen fleeing on vehicles or donkey carts on Monday
Hamas Agrees to Conditions:
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh informed officials in Qatar and Egypt of his approval for their ceasefire proposal.A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal revealed that Hamas agreed to end “hostile activity forever” if specific conditions were met.
This suggests Hamas might be considering abandoning its armed struggle, although details remain unclear.
Two-Phase Ceasefire:
The ceasefire would unfold in two 42-day phases.The first phase involves the release of Israeli female hostages, with each hostage exchanged for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life sentences.
Israeli troops would remain within Gaza during this period.However, within 11 days of the ceasefire, Israel would begin dismantling its military facilities in central Gaza and withdraw from key roads.Displaced Palestinians would be allowed to return north after 11 days.
The second phase would culminate in a “sustainable long period of calm” and the complete lifting of the Gaza blockade.
The US State Department is reviewing Hamas’s response and discussing it with partners.
Background
The war began in October when Hamas gunmen infiltrated southern Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and seizing over 250 hostages.According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 34,700 people have been killed in Gaza during the following Israeli military campaign.A previous ceasefire deal in November saw Hamas release 105 hostages in exchange for a one-week ceasefire and the release of approximately 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
Israel claims 128 hostages remain unaccounted for in Gaza, with at least 34 presumed dead.
