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Hamas mentioned it has given a “optimistic” response to a US-backed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, indicating it will enter negotiations that would elevate hopes of bringing an finish to 21 months of conflict with Israel.
Nevertheless, a number of Arab media channels additionally reported that the militant group was searching for “minor and formative” amendments to the proposal, leaving it unclear whether or not Hamas’s response could be acceptable to Israel, or to Qatar, Egypt and the US, the three mediating nations.
“Hamas is totally ready and critical about instantly getting into a brand new spherical of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework,” it mentioned late on Friday.
The group mentioned it had delivered its optimistic response to the most recent proposal — which begins with a 60-day ceasefire — by worldwide mediators following its personal inside consultations in addition to with different Palestinian factions and forces.
There was no response from the Israeli authorities in the course of the Jewish Sabbath. Donald Trump mentioned late on Friday evening that he had not been briefed on the Hamas response however that “there may very well be a Gaza deal subsequent week”.
The US president mentioned he was “very optimistic” {that a} ceasefire settlement could be reached, earlier than including “it modifications from everyday”.
The household of not less than one Israeli hostage demanded an instantaneous cupboard assembly to debate the Hamas response.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ready to go to Washington on Monday, with Trump having made clear his need for a ceasefire. Trump posted this week on Fact Social that Israel had accepted his proposal, later telling reporters he meant to be “agency” with Netanyahu.
“I hope, for the nice of the Center East, that Hamas takes this Deal, as a result of it won’t get higher — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” the president warned.
The Israeli navy continued its assault on Gaza, killing greater than 100 folks on Thursday and Friday, native well being officers mentioned.
Based on drafts of the proposal seen by the Monetary Occasions and confirmed by two folks conversant in the negotiations, Trump would “assure” that the battle could be halted for 60 days. Throughout this era greater than two dozen residing and deceased Israeli hostages held by Hamas could be launched over 5 phases.
Hamas holds not less than 20 residing hostages, in addition to the our bodies of 30 extra, all captured throughout its cross-border raid that sparked the conflict on October 7 2023.
It has demanded assurances that negotiations held throughout any ceasefire should transfer in direction of an entire truce earlier than it could possibly comply with releasing all the hostages.
Hamas killed some 1,200 folks in Israel in the course of the October 7 raid, in response to Israeli officers. Since then, Israel’s navy offensive has killed greater than 60,000 folks, most of them ladies and kids, in response to native well being officers, and devastated the enclave.
In the course of the proposed two-month pause, the Israeli navy — which controls about 65 per cent of the Gaza Strip — would comply with withdraw from sections of northern and southern Gaza, topic to further “fast negotiations”. It could additionally permit extra humanitarian assist into the enclave via the UN and different worldwide teams.
As in previous ceasefires, Israel would additionally decide to swapping giant numbers of Palestinian prisoners, many held with out trial in Israeli navy prisons.
Further reporting by Myles McCormick in Washington
