Unlock the editor’s digestion for free
Rula Calaf, FT editor, chooses his favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Hamas said he had given a “positive” response to a US -backed US ceasefire proposal, indicating that it would go into negotiations that could raise hopes of ending 21 months war with Israel.
However, several Arab media channels have also reported that the militant group is looking for “small and formative” changes to the proposal, leaving it unclear whether HamasThe answer would be acceptable to Israel, or for Qatar, Egypt and the United States, the three mediated countries.
“Hamas is fully prepared and serious to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework,” the statement said late on Friday.
The group said it had given its positive response to the latest draft that began with a 60-day ceasefire-international mediators after its own internal consultation, as well as other Palestinian factions and forces.
There was no response from the Israeli government during the Jewish Saturday. The White House did not respond immediately to a commentary request.
The family of at least one Israeli hostage demanded an immediate cabinet meeting in order to discuss Hamas’s response.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ready to visit Washington on Monday, with US President Donald Trump clarifying his desire to cease. Trump announced earlier this week on his web site on social networks, the truth social, that Israel He accepted his proposal, and later told reporters that he intended to be “firm” with Netanyahu.
“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas is taking this deal because it will not improve – it will only get worse,” the US president warned.
The Israeli military continued its attack on Gaza, killing more than 100 people on Thursday and Friday, according to local health officials.
According to drafts of the proposal he saw by the Financial Times and confirmed by two people familiar with the negotiations, Trump I would “guarantee” that the conflict would be stopped in 60 days. During this period, more than 20 alive and deceased Israeli hostages held by Hamas will be released during five stages.
Hamas has at least 20 hostages for living, as well as 30 more bodies, all captured during its cross -border raid that caused the war on October 7, 2023.
He demanded the belief that negotiations that take place during any ceasefire must move towards a complete truce before agreeing to release all hostages.
Hamas killed about 1,200 people in Israel during an October 7 raid, according to Israeli authorities. Since then, Israeli’s military offensive has killed more than 60,000 people, most of them women and children, according to local health officials and destroyed the enclave.
During Suggested two -month breakThe Israeli army-controls about 65 % of the Gaza-Bi Strip agreed to withdraw from parts of North and South Gaza, subject to additional “quick negotiations” and will also allow for a humanitarian aid to the enclave via the UN and other international groups.
As in past interruptions, Israel would also commit itself to exchanging a large number of Palestinian prisoners, many held without trial in Israeli military prisons.
Additional notice from Milles McCormick in Washington
Source link