Hamas has agreed to the new ceasefire proposal presented by mediators in Cairo. " Hamas has provided its response to the mediators, confirming that it and the factions have accepted the new proposal without requesting amendments ," a Hamas source told AFP. Another Palestinian source close to the negotiations explained that the mediators "are expected to announce the agreement has been reached and set a date for the resumption of talks ," adding that Hamas and the other factions have been given guarantees regarding the agreement's implementation, as well as a commitment to resume negotiations to reach a permanent solution.
In an attempt to break the impasse that has forced diplomacy into a dark corner, as the IDF prepares for a full invasion of the Strip, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have proposed an initial 60-day truce to begin negotiations and the release of 49 Israeli hostages, both dead and alive, in two separate tranches. Ten living hostages and 18 dead will be released immediately, if the other side accepts. But the Israeli state has expressed a chill: "They want to return to discussing an agreement because they fear we will invade Gaza City," the Netanyahu government noted. Before issuing its response, Hamas consulted with its leaders and other Palestinian factions, particularly Islamic Jihad, according to a source at the Egyptian mediation table. The source explained that the new agreement is a rough draft, "a framework agreement to begin negotiations for a permanent ceasefire," within the framework of a two-month truce. Then, the remaining hostages, 12 alive and 9 dead, according to estimates, would be released at a later stage: "The remaining prisoners would be released in a second phase, followed by immediate negotiations for a broader agreement" for the definitive end "of the war and aggression" with international guarantees, as an informed source in the Islamic Juihad revealed to AFP.
The new proposal, similar to the one developed by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, was handed over to Israel by Egypt and Qatar, stating that "the ball is now in Israel's court." Yet Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted he is no longer interested in partial agreements, stating that he will agree to end the war only if Hamas releases all hostages simultaneously, disarms, and allows the demilitarization of Gaza.
(Unioneonline)