Hamas officials interviewed by Reuters responded this Tuesday, February 27, that the statements by US President Joe Biden – who a day earlier indicated that he expects a ceasefire in the enclave on March 4 – are “premature.” . However, the Islamist group confirmed that it is analyzing a provisional ceasefire proposal. The truce offer includes a first pause in hostilities for 40 days, with the exchange of 10 Palestinian prisoners for each hostage held by Hamas who is released, among other conditions. We explain it.
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It is the biggest push for a ceasefire in Gaza since the last November truce collapsed.
Hamas maintains that it is reviewing a proposal to suspend hostilities, agreed last week in Paris, between Israel and the mediating countries: Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
There are still big gaps to reach an agreement
However, two senior officials from the group that controls the Palestinian enclave told Reuters that US President Joe Biden's comments about an early agreement are “premature” and do not correspond to the situation on the ground.
“There are still large gaps to reach an agreement (…) The main issues of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces are not clearly establishedwhich delays obtaining an agreement,” said one of the representatives of the Islamist movement.
The Israeli Government agreed with Hamas' vision. The local press reported that a senior official in Benjamin Netanyahu's Administration, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that he did not understand “what Biden's optimism is based on.”
Israeli officials headed to Qatar, where Hamas has its political office, to work on terms of a Gaza truce and hostage release deal, a source told @Reutersa step towards nailing down a ceasefire which Washington says is now close https://t.co/cQ9CwtDu22
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 26, 2024
The leader of the White House had indicated on Monday, February 26, that he expected a truce for next March 4.
“My national security advisor tells me they are close. They are close. They are not finished yet. My hope is that next Monday we will have a ceasefire,” said Biden, underscoring the possibility of the entry into force of a ceasefire just before the start of Ramadan, a sacred date in Islam, on March 10.
On February 19, Netanyahu warned that during Ramadan his Army would launch a broad ground incursion into Rafah, in the extreme south of Gaza and where most of the population is located, if Hamas does not release the more than 100 kidnapped people beforehand. which, Israel assures, remain in its power.
Now, the offer given to Hamas to pause the attacks seems to fall short of the group's main demands, included in the counterproposal that the movement announced on February 7. What are the main points of disagreement?
What is known about the recent truce draft delivered to Hamas
According to sources cited by Reuters, the text agreed in Paris and sent to the group that controls Gaza highlights a first stage of ceasefire for 40 days, time in which Hamas would have to hand over 40 hostages, among women, those under 19 or over 50 and sick. These are people who the parties consider to be in what they call the humanitarian category.
In exchange, the Israeli authorities would release around 400 Palestinian prisoners. to meet a ratio of 10 prisoners for each of the people who were kidnapped in Israellast October 7.
After beginning the first phase, Israel promises to reposition its forces away from the densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
Likewise, the offer establishes a gradual return of all Gazan civilians who were displaced from the north of the enclave, except men of military service age.
Also included is a commitment on the entry of 500 trucks with humanitarian aid daily and the provision of 200,000 tents.
On the other hand, those involved must allow the rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries in Gaza, including the immediate authorization of the entry of the necessary equipment and the provision of fuel shipments for these purposes, according to the quantities to be agreed upon.
Israel would authorize the entry of heavy machinery and equipment to remove debris and assist with other humanitarian purposes, and Hamas must commit to not using these items to threaten Israel.
The points agreed upon for the first phase would not necessarily be applied in a second phase of the truce, which will be subject to subsequent negotiations.
But the new proposal It does not cover aspects that Hamas highlighted in its counteroffer: a ceasefire, including a commitment to permanently end the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
It also does not address the release of hostages who are soldiers or men of fighting age, nor Hamas's demand that some 1,500 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails be released.
When the Islamist group unveiled its proposals 20 days ago, Netanyahu called its demands “delusional.”
And more recently, on February 23, the Israeli premier unveiled his first official plan for post-war Gaza. A project that outlines absolute control of the security of the enclave by Israeli forces “without a time limit”, as well as an administration that does not include either Hamas or the Palestinian National Authority, crucial points that for now make it difficult to obtain of an agreement.
While the opposing parties debate a truce proposal, the Israeli Army continues its attacks on Gazan soil and the number of fatalities increases. This Tuesday The total number of Palestinian deaths rose to 29,878, the vast majority civilians.
With Reuters and AP
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