Hamas Response on Ceasefire Proposal Awaited
The White House is eagerly awaiting a response from the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas regarding Israel’s ceasefire proposal, which was presented by US President Joe Biden and conveyed through the mediation efforts of Qatar.
According to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, CIA Director Bill Burns will be travelling to Doha to hold discussions with Qatari mediators about the proposed ceasefire for Gaza. Qatar has been playing a key mediation role between Israel and Hamas in their ongoing conflict.
On Tuesday, Qatar confirmed that it had presented the Israeli ceasefire proposal to Hamas, which reflected the three-phase plan put forward by Biden. The proposal is said to have bridged some of the gaps between the positions of Israel and Hamas.
A Hamas spokesperson, representing the group that has been in control of Gaza since 2007, reiterated on Tuesday that Hamas will not agree to any deal unless Israel provides a ‘clear’ commitment to a permanent truce and the complete withdrawal of its forces from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also reiterated his stance that achieving lasting peace is impossible unless Hamas is eliminated, despite facing significant domestic political divisions over the US-backed truce proposal.
The Israeli military operation in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 36,000 people, according to the local health ministry. The conflict has led to widespread hunger, the destruction of much of the enclave, and has been accompanied by accusations of genocide, which Israel fiercely contests.
The Israeli offensive commenced after an attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, which, according to Israeli estimates, resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of 250 hostages.
