Gaza Strip: Cease-Fire Contacts Continue Despite Differences

February 7, 2024 Hour: 8:33 pm

On Wednesday, Egypt and Qatar are in intensive contact to reach a new ceasefire and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, although Benjamin Netanyahu’s government flatly refuses to stop the aggression against Gaza.

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Egypt Receives Hamas’ Response to Proposed Ceasefire Framework

After several days of consultation, yesterday the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) entered into Qatar its response to an outline drawn up in Paris with Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

We approached the proposal in a positive spirit, the armed group said in a statement, after insisting on “a comprehensive and complete cease-fire and an end to the Israeli aggression,” as well as the lifting of the siege on Gaza and promises of reconstruction to the devastated territory.

Shortly afterward, in another statement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office revealed that the “details (presented by Hamas) are being thoroughly evaluated by the officials involved in the negotiations.”

Israeli PM Netanyahu says that war on Gaza will continue until “victory” is achieved, one day after receiving Hamas response to truce deal.

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February 8, 2024

However, a source in Netanyahu’s executive assured public broadcaster Kan that the right-wing politician will not accept a permanent cessation of fighting as part of the prisoner exchange negotiations.

Kan reported that the Palestinian militia’s position is interpreted by Netanyahu and his partners in power as a rejection of the proposed scheme, and pointed out that they are betting on the continuation of the war.

Nevertheless, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al Thani was upbeat during a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on another visit to the region to address the crisis.

Hamas made some comments on the framework agreement, however, in general we can say that it was positive, although “due to the sensitivity of this stage, we cannot go into details,” said al Thani.

Blinken, whose government is under heavy criticism, both on the domestic and international fronts, for its unrestricted support for the Israeli offensive, spoke in a similar vein.

Although more work is needed to reach a truce, an agreement is “possible and, in fact, essential”, said the head of US diplomacy, defending only a temporary cessation of fighting as Netanyahu is demanding in order to exchange prisoners.