The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has shown signs that it will accept a proposal to release hostages in exchange for a truce in Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, Qatar, which acts as a mediator in the conflict, announced this Thursday (1st).
“The meeting in Paris managed to consolidate a proposal on the table that was approved by the Israeli side, and now we have a first positive confirmation from Hamas,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said in Washington.
During a lecture at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the spokesperson emphasized that there are still details to be adjusted, but said he was optimistic because it is the first time in two months that both sides agree on the premises on which negotiations will take place. are occurring.
Ansari said there was still “a very difficult road ahead”, but expressed confidence that there could be good news in the coming weeks.
The intelligence chiefs of Israel, the United States and Egypt, as well as the Prime Minister of Qatar, reached on Monday (29) a proposal for a new truce and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after two days of meetings in Paris, France, a draft of which was then sent to the Hamas leadership.
In the case of an agreement, this would be the second truce between Israel and Hamas after the one that took place between November 24 and 30, which allowed the exchange of 105 hostages, including some foreigners, for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The draft negotiation details several steps, the first of which envisages the release of 35 civilians kidnapped by Hamas in exchange for the complete halt to Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip for 45 days, according to sources involved in the negotiations.
In addition, it includes the release of around one hundred Palestinian prisoners in exchange for each hostage released by Hamas, and also foresees an increase in the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory.
In the second stage, kidnapped military personnel would be released, with the last phase including the removal of the bodies of hostages who died in captivity in the Palestinian enclave, according to the same sources.
The head of the terrorist group's political office, Ismail Haniyeh, said on Tuesday (30) that his group was studying the proposal and would respond soon, despite having demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government is not willing to stop the war, despite growing pressure from the families of those kidnapped to negotiate an agreement at “any price” for the release of the 132 hostages who are still in Palestinian territory under the control of terrorists, who are believed to be about 28 are dead. (With EFE Agency)
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