On the evening of May 6, Hamas announced its acceptance of a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar to stop the seven-month war in the Gaza Strip.
How tells Euronews, Hamas's agreement comes amid Israel's order to evacuate 100,000 Palestinians from the city of Rafah ahead of the military operation. Details of the proposal from Egypt and Qatar have not been disclosed.
The Associated Press reports that officials are studying the ceasefire proposal approved by Hamas. However, it is noted that the plan approved by Hamas does not correspond to the “framework proposed by Israel.”
Negotiations over the past few days have included discussions, according to officials involved, that the ceasefire would take place in several stages, during which Hamas would release the hostages it was holding in exchange for Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel was considering Hamas's response to the ceasefire proposal, as well as any option that would lead to the return of the hostages. He stressed that Israel is still preparing for the possibility of an operation in Rafah.
How writes Today, The Times of Israel, Gazans celebrate in the streets, families of hostages ask for a deal, the US is studying a Hamas response, and the War Cabinet says negotiators will meet with mediators but orders the IDF to move forward with the Rafah operation.
Israeli officials said, the newspaper notes, that Hamas' conditions do not meet Israel's basic demands. A senior Hamas official, shortly after announcing his agreement, told AFP: “Having agreed to the mediators' ceasefire proposal, the ball is now in the court of the Israeli occupation authorities, regardless of whether they agree to the ceasefire agreement.” fire or prevent it.”
However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said later on Monday that the War Cabinet had unanimously decided to continue the IDF operation in Rafah “to bring military pressure to bear on Hamas to make progress on the release of hostages and other military objectives.”
The statement said Hamas's latest proposal is “far from [соответствия] Israel's basic demands.” At the same time, it is noted that Israel will send working-level groups to negotiate with mediators in order to “exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement on terms acceptable to Israel.”
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