CAIRO (AP) — Hamas mentioned Saturday it was reviewing a brand new Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to dealer a deal to finish the months-long conflict and stave off a doable Israeli floor offensive into the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah.
Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya mentioned the Palestinian militant group was evaluating Israel’s proposal, and “upon completion of its examine, it can submit its response.”
He gave no particulars of Israel’s provide however mentioned it was in response to a proposal from Hamas two weeks in the past. Negotiations earlier this month centered on a six-week cease-fire proposal and the discharge of 40 civilian and sick hostages in alternate for releasing tons of of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Hamas’ assertion got here hours after a high-level Egyptian delegation wrapped up a go to to Israel the place it mentioned a “new imaginative and prescient” for a chronic cease-fire in Gaza, in response to an Egyptian official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to freely talk about the developments.
It was not instantly clear whether or not Israel’s newest response to Hamas on a cease-fire was immediately associated to Friday’s go to to Tel Aviv by Egyptian mediators.
The discussions between Egyptian and Israeli officers centered on the primary stage of a multi-phase plan that would come with a restricted alternate of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, and the return of a big variety of displaced Palestinians to their houses in northern Gaza “with minimal restrictions,” the Egyptian official mentioned.
The mediators are engaged on a compromise that may reply most of each events’ primary calls for, which might pave the way in which to continued negotiations with the objective of a bigger deal to finish the conflict, the official mentioned.
As the conflict drags on and casualties mount, there was rising worldwide strain for Hamas and Israel to achieve an settlement on a cease-fire and avert a doable Israeli assault on Rafah, the place greater than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million folks have sought refuge after fleeing combating elsewhere within the territory.
Israel has been insisting for months it plans a floor offensive into Rafah, on the border with Egypt, the place it says many remaining Hamas militants are holed up, regardless of requires restraint from the worldwide group together with Israel’s staunchest ally, america.
Egypt has cautioned an offensive into Rafah might have “catastrophic penalties” on the humanitarian state of affairs in Gaza, in addition to on regional peace and safety.
The Israeli army has massed dozens of tanks and armored automobiles in southern Israel near Rafah and hit targets within the metropolis in near-daily airstrikes.
Early Saturday, an Israeli airstrike hit a home in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood, killing six folks, together with 4 kids, in response to officers at a neighborhood hospital.
The strike killed a person, his spouse and their three sons, aged 12, 10 and eight, in response to information of the Abu Yousef al-Najjar hospital’s morgue. A neighbor’s four-month-old lady was additionally killed, the information confirmed.
Hamas mentioned Friday it’s open to any “concepts or recommendations” that think about the wants of the Palestinian folks reminiscent of an finish to Israel’s assaults on Gaza, the return of displaced folks to their houses and an Israeli withdrawal.
The Palestinian group has mentioned it is not going to again down from its calls for for a everlasting cease-fire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops, each of which Israel has rejected.
Israel says it can proceed army operations till Hamas is defeated and that it’s going to retain a safety presence in Gaza afterward.
Hamas sparked the conflict with its assault into southern Israel on Oct. 7, during which militants killed round 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and took some 250 folks as hostages. Israel says the militants are nonetheless holding round 100 hostages and the stays of greater than 30 others.
Since then, 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s air and floor offensive, in response to the Well being Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, round two-thirds of them kids and girls.
Israel has reported at the very least 260 of its troopers killed because the begin of floor operations in Gaza.
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Rising reported from Bangkok
