On Monday, Hamas accepted an Egyptian proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza after negotiations between Egyptian officials and the Palestinian factions.
The talks with Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been held in Cairo for the past week. Qatar’s Prime Minister arrived in Egypt on Monday, which was considered a positive sign for the development of the talks after Egypt had presented its proposed plan to the Palestinian factions on Sunday.
The Palestinian factions agreed to the Egyptian plan on the same day, while Hamas postponed its response until the evening of the following day.
On Monday, Hamas official Taher al-Nunou told al-Araby TV that Hamas had responded to the Egyptian plan positively. “The proposal we agreed to lies in the middle between our position and the position Israel held two weeks ago. Taking into account the Palestinian national interest, we accepted this proposal and await the Israeli response.”
The Hamas official added that the proposal comes attached with “American guarantees” that Israel would adhere to its conditions in the event that Israel accepts the proposal.
The Egyptian proposal is based on a previous round of talks that included a partial deal to pave the way for talks over a comprehensive agreement ending the war.
Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq told al-Araby TV that the Hamas response came after protracted talks among Palestinian factions. “Hamas and the Palestinian factions proved that they dealt with this proposal with a positive and flexible stance to end the war against our people as fast as possible,” he said.
The Hamas official added that Hamas and the other Palestinian factions hope their acceptance of the Egyptian-Qatari proposal would pave the way to ending the war. “We hope that Netanyahu does not bring any obstacles that would sabotage the deal,” al-Risheq said.
According to the proposal, the ceasefire would last 60 days, during which talks over a permanent end to the war will start from day one.
The terms of the ceasefire revolve around three core issues: the redeployment of Israeli forces toward the edges of Gaza, the number of Israeli captives to be released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the issue of humanitarian aid.
Regarding the redeployment of Israeli forces, the proposal would see an Israeli withdrawal of 1,000 meters away from north Gaza and east of Gaza City, except the levelled al-Shuja’iyya neighborhood east of Gaza and Beit Lahia in the north.
Hamas would release 10 living Israeli captives in exchange for 140 Palestinian prisoners carrying life sentences, in addition to 60 Palestinians sentenced to up to 15 years and 1,000 prisoners from Gaza who were detained during the war.
According to local sources, the proposal would also include the release of all Palestinian minors in Israeli prisons.
In addition, Hamas would release one dead Israeli captive for 10 dead Palestinian prisoners.
Regarding aid, the proposal would see the entry of 600 aid trucks per day in accordance with the amounts agreed to during the previous ceasefire between January and March. The trucks would carry food, water, fuel, and reconstruction materials for hospitals and bakeries. Heavy machinery would also be allowed in for the removal of rubble.
The United Nations and the international organizations will take responsibility for distributing the aid instead of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), whose aid sites have been described as “death traps” by Palestinians.
Moreover, the Rafah crossing will be opened in both directions, in accordance with the previous January-March ceasefire.
Ball in Israel’s court
According to Israel’s public broadcaster, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated on Monday that Israel’s stance had not changed, which included “releasing all the captives and implementing all the previous conditions identified to end the war.”
The Prime Minister’s office said Israel’s negotiating team had received Hamas’s response and was studying it.
The Israeli conditions to end the war include disarming Hamas, expelling its leaders from Gaza, and stepping back from governing the Strip. While Hamas has consistently agreed to the latter condition, it has repeatedly said that disarming is a “red line” and that it would only give up its weapons with the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Unofficial statements posted by journalists on social media indicate that Egypt will send 10,000 Egyptian soldiers into Gaza as part of the deal and would participate in controlling the Strip until a government for Gaza is set up.
Arab forces and the Palestinian Authority will join the government. The Lebanese al-Akhbar newspaper stated that Egypt opposed deploying international or Arab troops in Gaza when the ceasefire is implemented, instead calling for the formation of a technocratic government under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority.
And once again – as in the past, israel will sabotage this.