Qatar’s Foreign Ministry revealed that Israel has approved a temporary ceasefire proposal with the Islamic Movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Hamas responded “positively” to this proposal.
Al Jazeera news agency quoted the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying on February 1 that the ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas was discussed in Paris, France over the weekend, with the participation of diplomats. assign Qatar and Egypt to mediate. Delegations from Tel Aviv and Gaza left the French capital with a promise to study the proposal and negotiate further this week.
Israelis participate in a protest in Tel Aviv to demand the government ensure the freedom of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters
“Israel has agreed to the ceasefire proposal and we also received initial positive confirmations from Hamas. We are waiting for their response,” a spokesman for the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the evening of February 1.
As revealed by Hamas to Reuters earlier this week, the proposed ceasefire is expected to be implemented in three phases. The first phase will see a 40-day pause in fighting to allow Hamas to hand over the remaining civilian hostages including women, children and the elderly. During this time, large-scale transport of food and medicine into Gaza will continue.
In the next stages, Hamas is expected to return the bodies of Israeli soldiers and soldiers held as prisoners of war in exchange for providing more aid and freedom for Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel. hold.
“Both sides will stop military activities in three phases. The number of Palestinian prisoners released will also be subject to negotiation,” said a statement from Hamas.
According to RT, the above proposal does not include Israel withdrawing all troops from Gaza as initially requested by Hamas. However, it is still considered a threat to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to continue the military campaign against Hamas until Tel Aviv achieves a “complete victory” against the Iranian-backed armed group, as Mr. Netanyahu multiple commitments.
While hardliners in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet have pressed him to reject any deal seen as too lenient toward Hamas, Israel has faced condemnation from the international community. about their behavior in Gaza.
Two of Tel Aviv’s strongest supporters, the US and UK, recently said they may soon recognize an independent Palestinian state. That prospect would be a political disaster for Netanyahu, who angered Washington and London last month by flatly rejecting a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. .
