Hamas Rejects Egyptian Proposal for Gaza Ceasefire, US Confirms
Washington, D.C. – The United States has confirmed that Hamas has rejected an Egyptianproposal for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, according to a statement released by the US State Department.
The revelation came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinkenspoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Sunday, November 4th. Blinken disclosed that Hamas had declined the Egyptian initiative, which aimed to establish a48-hour ceasefire in Gaza, accompanied by the release of certain detainees.
According to reports in the Israeli newspaper, The Times of Israel, the Egyptian proposal involved a two-stage process. The initial 48-hour ceasefire would allow Hamas to prepare for the release of four Israeli hostages within the next 10 days. These hostages are categorized as humanitarian cases, meaning they are either women, elderly individuals, or those in need of medical attention. In exchange, Israelwould release approximately 100 Palestinian prisoners.
The agreement was intended to pave the way for a 12-day period of negotiations between Israel and Hamas to establish a more lasting ceasefire.
However, Hamas has reportedly refused to deviate from its own proposal, which was first presented in early July.While this proposal dropped the initial demand for Israel’s pre-commitment to a permanent end to the conflict, it still includes additional conditions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas’s proposal and has put forward his own counter-conditions, including the demand for the Israeli military to maintain its presence in thePhiladelphia Corridor and the Nezarim Corridor.
Despite Hamas’s rejection of the Egyptian proposal, sources close to the negotiations have indicated that discussions are ongoing. Mediators are still working to facilitate an agreement, although Hamas has made it clear that it will only accept a short-term agreement that includes guaranteesfor a long-term solution.
The Egyptian proposal, however, does not provide such guarantees, as Israel has refused to agree to them.
Neither Hamas nor the Egyptian government has publicly responded to the US State Department’s confirmation of the rejection.
This developing story will continue to be updated asmore information becomes available.
References:
- The Times of Israel. (2024, November 4). Hamas Rejects Egyptian Ceasefire Proposal, US Confirms. Retrieved from [link to article]
- The Times of Israel. (2024, November 5). NegotiationsContinue Despite Hamas Rejection of Egyptian Proposal. Retrieved from [link to article]
Note: This article is based on information available as of November 5, 2024. The situation is fluid and may change rapidly.
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