The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced on Monday that it has accepted a ceasefire proposal presented by mediators Qatar and Egypt for the Gaza Strip, where more than 62,000 people have already died in the Israeli offensive.
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“Hamas and the Palestinian factions announce their approval of the proposal presented yesterday by Egyptian and Qatari mediators,” indicated a brief statement collected by the newspaper Filastín, affiliated with the Islamist group.
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The confirmation came after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, and both reaffirmed the importance of their “continuous efforts” for an “immediate ceasefire” that allows for the “urgent and unimpeded” entry of humanitarian aid and ensures the release of hostages.
“The Government of Egypt’s Information Service confirmed a categorical rejection of the military reoccupation of the Strip and any attempt to displace Palestinians from their territory,” adding that Al Sisi advocated for a reconstruction process after the ceasefire."
An Israeli official confirmed to The Times of Israel that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu has received the proposal accepted by Hamas, which would include a 60-day ceasefire and the release of ten live hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Later, the Israeli Minister of Defense, the far-right Bezalel Smotrich, spoke out against a possible “partial” ceasefire agreement, arguing that Hamas has only softened its demands out of fear of the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
“Hamas is under great pressure due to the conquest of Gaza because it understands that this will eliminate the group. It is trying to stop this by returning a partial agreement. This is exactly the reason why we cannot give up,” emphasized in a message posted on the social network X.
Sources close to the negotiations indicated that Hamas conceded on two contentious points that derailed the talks in Doha last month, including the release of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and the size of the buffer zone along the border with Gaza, according to Israeli media.
The Israeli government insisted on Sunday that Hamas must immediately release all the kidnapped individuals, whether alive or dead, and demanded the disarmament of the group, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli control of the enclave’s perimeter, and the establishment of a government independent of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority that “coexists in peace with Israel.”