Hamas leaders apparently view Israel's proposal with skepticism | EUROtoday

In the battle for a ceasefire within the Middle East, an official response from Hamas to Israel's concessions remains to be pending. However, the chief of the Islamist group has already spoken out – and didn’t sound optimistic.

According to a media report, the chief of the novel Islamist Hamas within the embattled Gaza Strip, Jihia al-Sinwar, is skeptical in regards to the newest supply to barter a hostage deal.

It isn’t a suggestion from the Egyptian mediators, however an Israeli one “in American guise” that accommodates a variety of pitfalls, a supply near the Hamas chief informed the Israeli tv channel Channel 12 within the night. The present draft accommodates no assure that the warfare will finish.

It is unclear what number of hostages are nonetheless alive

As a part of Egyptian mediation efforts in Cairo, Hamas was offered with a proposal for a ceasefire in return for the discharge of hostages. Egyptian brokers had beforehand obtained the supply in Israel.

In the October 7 bloodbath in Israel, Hamas and different terrorist teams took greater than 250 hostages. 105 of them had been launched on the finish of November. How lots of the relaxation are nonetheless alive is unclear.

Official response from Hamas anticipated quickly

Hamas has but to reply to the Israeli proposal. The Islamist group has to date insisted on an finish to the warfare, which Israel rejects. The Israeli authorities has introduced a fast begin to the controversial offensive in Rafah within the south of the Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt if an settlement isn’t reached.

Lebanon-based Hamas consultant Osama Hamdan informed the Al-Manar tv station, which is managed by the pro-Iranian Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon: “Our position on the current negotiating document is negative,” because the Times of Israel reported that evening. However, based on the Hamas press workplace, this doesn’t imply a break in negotiations. According to the newspaper, the group deliberate to submit a response to the most recent proposal within the subsequent few hours.

How a lot weight does al-Sinwar's phrase carry?

Statements by Hamas leaders in exile shouldn’t be considered as official positions of the Islamist group, al-Sinwar's confidante informed the Israeli broadcaster Channel 12. The Gaza chief now solely depends on two shut followers who management the Gaza Strip on his decision-making had left the order earlier than Hamas' terrorist assault on Israel on October seventh final 12 months.

According to the Times of Israel, there have been latest statements by exiled Hamas leaders in favor of a ceasefire settlement within the Gaza Strip.

Blinken: “Hamas is blocking the path to the ceasefire”

During his go to to Israel, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had beforehand referred to as on Hamas to conform to Israel's proposal for a ceasefire. “It is Hamas that is blocking the path to the ceasefire,” he mentioned. There is a “very strong proposal on the table” that the terrorist group should “agree to and bring the matter to an end.”

According to media reviews, the Israeli proposal envisages a multi-stage course of wherein the combating within the Gaza Strip will initially be stopped for 40 days and hostages will likely be launched in return. First, girls, the sick, the aged and the wounded must be launched. As with the primary ceasefire, Palestinian prisoners will even be launched from Israeli prisons – additionally in a phased course of.

According to a spokesman, the Israeli authorities needed to attend till the night for a response from Hamas. “A decision” will then be made as as to whether Israel will ship a delegation to Cairo for additional talks.