Hamas is studying the new proposal for calm in Gaza and will deliver its official response to the mediators within hours
Hamas said early on Tuesday that the Israeli proposal it received from Qatari and Egyptian mediators doesn’t meet any of the Palestinians’ demands.
However, Hamas added in a statement that it would study the proposal and submit its response to the mediators, describing the Israeli position as intransigent.
A Hamas leader told Reuters on Monday that the Palestinian movement rejected the Israeli proposal for a ceasefire that was put forward during the Cairo talks, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced setting a date for the invasion of Rafah, the last refuge for displaced Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas sent two delegations to Egypt on Sunday to participate in talks mediated by Doha and Cairo, as well as the CIA Director, William Burns.
Burns’ participation in the talks reflects increasing US pressure to reach an agreement that guarantees the release of hostages held in Gaza and the entry of aid for civilians who have been suffering under the weight of the conflict that has been going on for six months.
However, Hamas political official Ali Baraka told Reuters, “Hamas rejects the terms of the truce proposed by the Israeli enemy in Cairo; The Political Bureau met and took this decision”.
Another Hamas official told Reuters earlier that no progress had been made in the negotiations, adding that, there is no change in the occupation’s positions, and therefore there is nothing new in the Cairo negotiations… There is no progress so far.
Israel said that it’s keen to reach an agreement to exchange prisoners for hostages, under which it would release a number of Palestinians imprisoned in its prisons in exchange for the release of hostages from those detained in Gaza, but it is not prepared to end the military attack before the invasion of Rafah.
Hamas wants any agreement to ensure an end to the Israeli military offensive, remove Israeli forces from Gaza, and allow the displaced to return to their homes across the Strip.
Rafah is the last refuge for Palestinian civilians who were displaced due to the continuous Israeli bombing that destroyed their residential neighborhoods.
While Israel says that Rafah is the last most important stronghold of Hamas fighters.
More than a million people are crowded in Rafah amid a very difficult atmosphere and a shortage of food, water and shelter.
Foreign governments and organizations asked Israel not to invade the city for fear of a huge number of deaths.
On the other hand, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We’re working tirelessly to achieve our goals, foremost of which is the release of all our hostages and achieving complete victory over Hamas”.
He added, “This victory requires entering Rafah and eliminating the terrorist brigades there… It will happen… A date has been set”.
