Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, which demanded disarmament of the armed group without any commitment from Israel to end the war or withdraw troops.
The plan was submitted to regional mediators late last week and was met with rejection by Hamas’s chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya. The Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC that the Israeli proposal “explicitly called for the disarmament of Hamas without any Israeli commitment to end the war or withdraw from Gaza.”
The senior Palestinian official accused Israel of stalling for time, seeking only to retrieve hostages while prolonging the war. It is believed that 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 alive.
Israel has continued its military offensive in Gaza despite the ceasefire talks. A security guard was killed and nine others injured in an air strike on a field hospital in Khan Younis. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck the head of a Hamas cell.
The UN agency warned that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire,” with aid blocked and medical supplies running low. At least 1,630 people have been killed in the conflict, bringing the total to 51,000 over 18 months.
Israeli polls suggest a majority back a Gaza ceasefire deal, prioritizing bringing home hostages over dismantling Hamas’s capabilities. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu is backed by hard-line parties who oppose ending the war and dismantling Hamas.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxgy7vwxlxo