Mediation Efforts Amid Gaza Conflict: Hamas Accepts Proposal
The Palestinian militant group Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal in Gaza on Monday, as reported by Reuters.
However, Israel asserted that its conditions were not met and continued airstrikes in Rafah. Concurrently, Israel expressed intentions to pursue negotiations for an agreement.
Developments unfolded in the seven-month-long conflict as Israeli forces carried out airstrikes and ground operations in Rafah, located at the southern edge of the Gaza Strip. Residents were instructed to evacuate certain areas of the city, which has served as a refuge for over a million displaced Palestinians.
In a brief declaration, Hamas confirmed that its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators of the group's acceptance of their ceasefire proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office later stated that the ceasefire proposal did not meet Israel's requirements. Nonetheless, Israel announced its decision to send a delegation to engage with negotiators in pursuit of an agreement.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that its delegation would travel to Cairo on Tuesday to resume indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu's office, in a statement, confirmed that its war cabinet had approved the continuation of operations in Rafah. However, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi criticised Netanyahu for jeopardising the ceasefire by conducting airstrikes in Rafah.
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, stated that the proposal accepted by Hamas was a diluted version of an Egyptian offer and included elements that Israel could not accept.
Another official briefed on the negotiations confirmed that Hamas had accepted the ceasefire deal in stages and the release of hostages proposed by Israel on April 27. These proposals included minor modifications that did not affect the main aspects of the agreement.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that Washington would discuss Hamas's response with its allies in the coming hours and emphasised that an agreement was "absolutely achievable."
It is noteworthy that according to health officials in Gaza, over 34,600 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. The UN has declared that famine is imminent in the enclave.
The conflict began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties and the kidnapping of 252 individuals, of whom 133 are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli estimates.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
