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Hamas agreed to a new fire cessation proposal with Israel. Photo/Abdul Rahman Salama/Xinhua
“We received a proposal two days ago from our brothers and sisters in Egypt and Qatar, who were the mediator of the negotiations,” announced Khalil Al-Hayya, chief of Hamas in Gaza, in a speech broadcast on television at Eid Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan fasting for Muslims.
“We respond to the proposal positively and we receive, and we hope that the occupation will not know or weaken the efforts of the mediators.”
Al-Hayya did not reveal the details on the proposal, but the international media in recent days have reported that Egypt and Qatar have proposed a ceasefire in Gaza, which was the second phase of a ceasefire and an agreement on prisoners between Hamas and Israel to apply after a quiet period.
“We fully fulfill our commitment and cooperate with the mediators to ensure that Israel fulfills their obligations. However, Israel denying the whole agreement after the first phase is over,” he said.
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Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth then reported that Tel Aviv presented an alternative proposal for a ceasefire and an agreement on the exchange of prisoners in Gaza, which asked Hamas to release 10 prisoners, not five, as stipulated in the Egyptian proposal.
Sources of trusted cited a statement that Israel “was expecting to reach a ceasefire agreement before the Holy Week Judeu”, which fell between April 12 and 20.
At the beginning of Saturday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Tel Aviv responded to the proposal received from mediators with alternatives, which was completely coordinated with Washington, without revealing the content of the two proposals.
Israeli soldiers launched a sudden air blow in Gaza on March 18, killing more than 920 people, injuring more than 2,000 more and destroying a cessation and prison exchange agreement.
More than 50,200 Palestinians died, most of them are women and children and more than 114,000 people were injured in a brutal Israeli military attack in Gaza since October 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued an order for the arrest last November by Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces cases of genocide in the International Court of Justice for its war in the pocket area.
(AHM)
