Hamas Claims It Agrees to Cease-fire; Israel Says Proposal It Accepted Differs
By The Media Line Staff
Hamas declared its acceptance Monday of a cease-fire proposal for Gaza put forth by Egypt and Qatar, potentially preventing an imminent Israeli military operation in Rafah. This announcement comes after negotiations in Cairo and Doha with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and the involvement of CIA Director Bill Burns.
Despite this, Israeli officials have cautioned that the cease-fire proposal accepted by Hamas differs from the one agreed upon by Israel and Egypt.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the US has received Hamas’ response to the truce proposal and is reviewing it in consultation with Qatar and Egypt. Burns remains in the region to secure an agreement, which the US believes is in the best interest of both Israel and Palestinians.
Israeli families of hostages have protested in Tel Aviv, demanding a hostage release deal, though it remains unclear what deal Hamas has accepted.
President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey welcomed Hamas’ acceptance of a cease-fire, urging Western nations to pressure Israel to follow suit. However, Israeli officials are skeptical, noting that Hamas’ proposal includes clauses related to the conditions for ending the conflict. At the core of the negotiations was Hamas’ insistence on a permanent cease-fire, while Israel demanded only a temporary pause, planning an operation in Rafah to neutralize Hamas forces.
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