In a turn of events on the Gaza front, the Hamas militant group announced its acceptance of a ceasefire proposal facilitated by Egypt and Qatar. However, Israel responded with a counter-proposal formulated in close cooperation with the United States.
The proposed ceasefire arrangement was initially presented by Egypt earlier in the week, aiming to stabilize the faltering truce that had crumbled following an unexpected escalation in hostilities by Israel. The exact terms of the proposal at the time of acceptance were not clarified by Khalil al-Hayyah, a leading figure of Hamas in Gaza.
According to an Egyptian official who preferred to remain unnamed due to the confidential nature of the discussions, the original proposition involved Hamas releasing five hostages, including an individual with dual American-Israeli citizenship. In return, Israel was expected to permit humanitarian aid into Gaza and agree to a temporary cessation of its military operations. Additionally, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners by Israel was part of this proposed agreement.
On Saturday, an official statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu withheld specifics regarding Israel’s counter-proposal, which was crafted following strategic talks on Friday.
Recently, Israel abruptly ended its ceasefire with Hamas by unleashing a surprise series of military strikes, resulting in a significant loss of life. This renewed aggression was blamed on Hamas by the United States.
Israel has stated its intention to intensify its campaign against Hamas until the militant group returns 59 hostages, of whom 24 are believed to still be alive. Beyond the hostage issue, Israel’s demands include Hamas relinquishing control, disarming, and its leaders going into exile. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Israel expanded its ground operations in the southern region of Rafah, located near the Egyptian border.
Hamas has insisted that it would only consider releasing the remaining captives in exchange for the liberation of Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
As tensions continue, there is growing anger and concern among families and supporters of the hostages in Gaza, who organized rallies on Saturday evening to push for a resolution that ensures the safe return of the detained individuals. Protesters in Tel Aviv expressed their frustration with chants emphasizing the human cost of war.
“War will not bring our hostages home, it will kill them,” voiced Naama Weinberg, a relative of a deceased hostage, during a gathering in Tel Aviv.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza erupted following a significant attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. During this incursion, Palestinian militants claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and took 251 individuals hostage.
In retaliation, Israel’s military operation has resulted in over 50,000 casualties, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, though the specifics of how many were civilians remain undisclosed. Israel’s forceful actions and ground maneuvers have led to widespread destruction and have temporarily displaced as much as 90% of Gaza’s population, which numbers over 2 million.
Earlier this month, Israel imposed a blockade on supplies to Gaza in an effort to exert pressure on Hamas to agree to new terms for a ceasefire, initially established in mid-January.
The second phase of the truce discussions, slated for early February, remains at an impasse. This phase was intended to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages, the conclusion of military operations, and orchestrate a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.