DOHA: Hamas will respond to an Israeli truce proposal for Gaza “within a very short period”, an official with the Palestinian resistance group said Wednesday, stressing though that any ceasefire needs to be permanent, AFP reported.
Amidst ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a senior official from the Palestinian group has emphasized the necessity for any truce to be permanent.
Speaking to AFP on Wednesday, Suhail al-Hindi, a senior Hamas official, conveyed that the Palestinian group would provide a response to the Israeli truce proposal “within a very short period.” While refraining from specifying a timeline, al-Hindi stressed the group’s commitment to ensuring a lasting resolution to the conflict, rather than a temporary cessation of hostilities.
The proposed ceasefire plan reportedly includes a 40-day ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. However, al-Hindi said that Hamas’s envoys, who recently returned from talks in Cairo to their base in Qatar, have yet to determine whether progress has been achieved in the negotiations.
Emphasizing the overarching goal of ending the ongoing war, al-Hindi’s comments highlight the Palestinian group’s insistence on a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire agreement. However, this stance appears to clash with Israel’s determination to proceed with its extensive ground offensive in southern Gaza, signaling potential obstacles in reaching a consensus.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Qatari mediators anticipate a response from Hamas within one or two days. The Israeli proposal reportedly includes concessions such as a period of “sustainable calm” following an initial pause in fighting, as well as the exchange of hostages and prisoners. However, the issue of Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip remains a contentious point in the negotiations.
An Israeli official told AFP the government “will wait for answers until Wednesday night”, and then “make a decision” whether to send envoys to Cairo to nail down a deal.
Earlier today, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated US opposition to an Israeli attack on the crowded Gaza city of Rafah in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to press ahead, a US official said, AFP reported.
This reaffirmation of US policy comes amidst escalating tensions in the region, with Netanyahu vowing to proceed with the operation despite American objections.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller confirmed Blinken’s stance on Rafah, stating that the Secretary of State had emphasized the US position during the meeting with Netanyahu. Blinken, who embarked on his seventh trip to the Middle East since October 7, held extensive talks with the Israeli Prime Minister, both privately and with accompanying aides, during the two and a half hour meeting held at Netanyahu’s Jerusalem office.
Central to Blinken’s agenda was the pursuit of a potential Israel-Palestinian ceasefire agreement, aimed at halting the ongoing hostilities and securing the release of hostages.
During the meeting, Blinken reportedly conveyed that it is Hamas that is obstructing progress towards a ceasefire, underscoring the challenges in reaching a diplomatic resolution amid ending hostilities.
Meanwhile, amidst diplomatic efforts, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Since October 7, Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign has killed at least 34,568 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run territory.
