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Hamas Consults on Gaza Ceasefire as Fighting Intensifies
As fighting continues, Hamas is consulting with other Palestinian factions regarding the U.S.-backed proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. The group’s formal response is expected soon.
Hamas Considers Ceasefire Proposal
Hamas stated that it is in discussions with other Palestinian groups regarding the ceasefire proposal received from mediators in Qatar and Egypt. After these consultations, Hamas intends to provide a “final decision”
to the mediators and then make an official announcement.
The proposed deal reportedly involves a phased release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. According to the plan, the release would start with 10 living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 deceased hostages. In return, Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails would be freed.
Trump Anticipates Response
President Donald Trump said Friday morning that he anticipated knowing Hamas’s decision on the proposed plan within 24 hours. Trump had previously stated on Tuesday that Israel had accepted the terms for a 60-day ceasefire, during which both sides would work towards ending the ongoing conflict.
Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, told Israel’s Channel 12 TV on Thursday, “One thing is clear: The president wants it to be over. The prime minister wants it to be over. The American people, the Israeli people, want it to be over.”
Ongoing Military Operations and Casualties
Despite ceasefire efforts, the Israeli military continues its operations across the Gaza Strip. Local journalists reported intense explosions and gunfire in the Khan Younis area due to strikes by Israeli helicopter gunships and artillery.
Reports from Nasser hospital indicate that at least 15 Palestinians were killed overnight in strikes on two tents housing displaced individuals in Khan Younis. While the Israeli military has not commented on these specific strikes, they affirmed that their forces are “operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities.”
Key Demands and Proposal Details
A critical demand from Hamas is the unrestricted entry of food and medical aid into Gaza. The proposal reportedly addresses this, stating that sufficient aid quantities would be delivered immediately with the involvement of the United Nations and Red Cross.
Furthermore, the plan reportedly outlines a phased withdrawal of Israeli military forces from certain areas of Gaza. Hamas is also seeking assurances that Israeli air and ground operations will cease permanently after the 60-day ceasefire concludes.
The proposal reportedly states that negotiations on ending the war and releasing the remaining hostages would commence on the first day of the ceasefire. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive.
Netanyahu’s Commitment
During a visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to secure the release of all remaining hostages. Nir Oz is near the Israel-Gaza border, and 76 of its residents were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
Netanyahu stated, “I feel a deep commitment, first of all, to ensure the return of all of our hostages, all of them,”
adding, “We will bring them all back.”
However, Netanyahu did not commit to ending the war, maintaining that it would continue until the hostages are freed and Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed.
Background of the Conflict
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza was launched in response to the October 7, 2023, attack, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 251 were taken hostage. Since then, more than 36,731 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Associated Press (AP News).
