The Wall Street Journal quoted Arab mediators as saying that the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, spoke for the first time about the proposed truce deal in Gaza, through Hamas representatives.
According to the newspaper, Sinwar considered this proposed deal to be the closest so far to the movement’s demands, despite the presence of some reservations.
According to mediators, the movement is expected to respond to the proposal soon.
Currently, the fate of the deal still depends on Hamas’s demand for a path that leads to a permanent end to the fighting, while Israel insists on continuing its military campaign to eliminate Hamas.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Hamas is “the only obstacle” to reaching a ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken also explained that Israel did not present a credible plan to ensure real protection for civilians in Rafah in light of its talk about the imminent invasion of the city, indicating that Washington cannot support a major military operation in Rafah due to the absence of a clear plan and because the damage it will cause exceeds the limits of what is acceptable.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said, on Saturday, that “Israel will not make any commitment regarding the truce issues before knowing the extent of Hamas’ flexibility.”
The authority added, “Israel confirmed that its delegation will not go to Cairo to complete the negotiations, before Hamas presents its response to the truce proposal.”
