Hamas has informed mediators that it has accepted the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal and is ready to resume negotiations to end Israel’s war on Gaza. So far, the war has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians and has threatened mass displacement and man-made starvation in the small patch of land.
“Hamas, along with the Palestinian factions, relayed their acceptance of the proposal put forward yesterday by the Qatari and Egyptian mediators,” said Hamas in a brief statement on Monday. The Times of Israel and Channel 12 reported that Israel has already received Hamas’s response. International media also suggest that the proposal included a temporary suspension of military operations for the upcoming 60 days, during which the Israeli army would relocate to allow the entry of humanitarian aid. It is also reportedly suggested that half of the 50 Israeli captives would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners within the same timeframe. This might mark the beginning of the path to a comprehensive solution.
The announcement from Hamas came after Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman Bin Jassim Al Thani held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo. Acceptance of such proposals is not new to Hamas, which has already agreed to ceasefire and prisoner-exchange proposals in the past two years — proposals which the Israeli side has consistently rejected while insisting on continuing the war. This time, Hamas seeks a permanent end to the war, but Israel has been seeking a temporary truce that would allow it to resume its campaign of destruction and displacement within Gaza after the captives are released.
Negotiations So Far
Moreover, the Israeli government is pushing ahead with plans to seize Gaza City, bombarding the enclave’s once largest and thriving urban centre. This could lead to the forced displacement of thousands of Palestinians. On the matter, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke with the defence minister and the chief of staff about plans to conquer Gaza City and achieve “the completion of the mission.” According to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, Hamas was “willing to discuss a deal for the release of hostages only because of its fear that we seriously intend to conquer Gaza City.” Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed opposition to any ceasefire agreement between Gaza and Israel.
“Hamas is under great pressure from the occupation of Gaza because it understands that this eliminates it and ends the story… Therefore, it is trying to stop by returning to a partial deal. Precisely for this reason, we must not give in and hand the enemy a lifeline,” said the finance minister.
Mediators were expecting to announce the new negotiations and hoped to set a date for the resumption of talks. Efforts by Qatar and Egypt to rekindle negotiations have failed so far, leading to continued Israeli attacks to capture Gaza City. Another truce brokered by Qatari, Egyptian, and US mediators came into force in January but was unilaterally broken by Israel in March. Since then, Israel has blocked aid supplies, leading to famine, starvation, and the deaths of more than 260 Palestinians due to starvation-related causes.
The latest round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas, facilitated in Doha by mediators, lasted for several weeks before ending on July 25 without any positive result.
Given the dire humanitarian situation for more than 2 million people living in the Gaza Strip — with no United Nations agency or aid groups able to help — this negotiation could bring hope to many. A statement by the Egyptian presidency on Monday said el-Sisi and Sheikh Mohammed “affirmed their rejection of the occupation of the Gaza Strip and the displacement of Palestinians… and stressed the importance of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.”
