HAMAS : A Hamas delegation is expected to arrive in Cairo on 29 April to deliver its response to the latest Egyptian–Israeli drafted proposal for a truce agreement in the Gaza Strip.
The visit comes in the midst of several conflicting reports regarding Hamas’ position on the proposal. An anonymous Hamas official was quoted by AFP on 29 April as saying that the group has “no major issues” with the latest proposal.
“The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles,” the official said, adding that Hamas representative Khalil al-Hayya will travel to the Egyptian capital on Monday to deliver the response.
In an official statement early on 29 April, Hamas confirmed that it “did not issue any statement in its name, nor attributed to sources in the movement, regarding the [Israeli] response paper that we received from the mediators.”
“This response is still under study. The leaks issued by some media about this aim to cause confusion,” the statement added.
According to an Axios report on 28 April, Israel has – for the first time – signaled that they are open to discussing an end to the war.
Israel has proposed, in line with the Egyptian truce initiative, a willingness to discuss a restoration of “sustainable” calm in Gaza after an initial release of Israeli prisoners held in the strip, the report states.
According to two Israeli officials speaking with Axios journalist Barak Ravid, the proposal includes Israel’s “willingness to discuss the establishment of a sustainable ceasefire as part of the implementation of the second phase of the deal, which would take place after the release of hostages on humanitarian grounds.”
However, a Hamas leader responded by telling Al-Mayadeen that the Israeli proposal “does not reflect a fundamental shift” in Tel Aviv’s position.
Hamas still holds dozens of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip. The group has so far held on to its demand that any truce and exchange deal be dependent on an end to the war, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, return of the displaced to northern Gaza, and reconstruction of the strip.
According to Axios, the Israeli proposal reflects an openness to allowing a return of displaced Palestinians.
US President Joe Biden held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 28 April, discussing Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah – which Israel claims is Hamas’ final stronghold and has plans to assault.
Over one million Palestinians, mostly displaced from other areas of Gaza, are stranded and besieged in Rafah, and any military operation there would pose the threat of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
Washington has consistently warned Tel Aviv that it would not support an operation there unless a safe evacuation plan is formulated.
Biden reiterated Washington’s “clear position” regarding an operation in Rafah, according to a White House readout of the call.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC News on Sunday: “They’ve assured us that they won’t go into Rafah until we’ve had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them.”
Israeli journalist for the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Ronen Bergman, said on 28 April that achieving victory and freeing prisoners through an operation in Rafah is “pure illusion and nonsense.”
On Monday, Hebrew news outlet Channel 12 reported that a number of reserve officers refused orders to prepare for assaulting Rafah, citing an “inability” to continue fighting.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday that Israel would “suspend the operation” in Rafah if a prisoner exchange deal is reached.
BY News Desk
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