Hamas says it accepts a brand new Gaza ceasefire proposal however Israel makes a counter-offer

CAIRO (AP) — The Hamas militant group mentioned Saturday it has accepted a brand new Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar, however Israel mentioned it has made a counter-proposal in “full coordination” with the third mediator, the US.

Egypt early within the week made a proposal to get the troubled ceasefire again on observe, following Israel’s shock resumption of combating. It was not instantly clear whether or not the proposal modified earlier than Khalil al-Hayyah, the chief of Hamas in Gaza, introduced it had been accepted.

Early within the week, an Egyptian official described the proposal to The Related Press, saying Hamas would launch 5 residing hostages, together with an American-Israeli, from Gaza in return for Israel permitting assist into the territory and a weekslong pause in combating. Israel would launch a whole bunch of Palestinian prisoners. The official spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to temporary media on the closed-door talks.

On Saturday, the workplace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave no particulars about Israel’s counter-proposal, which it mentioned was provided after Netanyahu held consultations on Friday.

Israel every week and a half in the past ended its ceasefire with Hamas by launching a shock wave of strikes that killed a whole bunch of individuals. The White Home blamed Hamas for the renewed combating.

Israel has vowed to escalate the conflict till Hamas returns the 59 hostages it nonetheless holds — 24 of them believed to be alive. Israel additionally desires Hamas to surrender energy, disarm and ship its leaders into exile. On Saturday, Israel widened its floor operations in Gaza’s southern metropolis of Rafah close to the border with Egypt.

Hamas has mentioned it should solely launch the remaining captives in trade for Palestinian prisoners, an enduring ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Pissed off by the risk to remaining hostages in Gaza, households and others rallied once more Saturday night to name for a deal that might deliver everybody dwelling.

“The worth of your conflict is the lifetime of the hostages!” some protesters chanted in Tel Aviv. Minor scuffles broke out with police.

“Battle won’t deliver our hostages dwelling, it should kill them,” Naama Weinberg, cousin of deceased hostage Itay Svirsky, informed a weekly gathering of households in Tel Aviv.

The conflict in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault into Israel, by which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and kidnapped 251.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 individuals, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say what number of have been civilians or combatants. Israel’s bombardment and floor operations have triggered huge destruction and at their top displaced some 90% of Gaza’s inhabitants of over 2 million individuals.

Early this month, Israel once more minimize off all provides to Gaza to stress Hamas to simply accept new phrases to the ceasefire that began in mid-January.

Israel had balked at coming into negotiations over the truce’s second section, which have been meant to start in early February. Underneath the settlement, section two was meant to deliver the discharge of the remaining 24 residing hostages, an finish to the conflict and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

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Frankel reported from Jerusalem.

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