Hamas undecided yet on Gaza ceasefire proposal: Palestinian sources

ISTANBUL

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has not yet taken a final decision about a Qatar-Egyptian proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal, Palestinian sources said on Thursday.

“Hamas is currently consulting with various Palestinian factions before submitting its official response to the mediators,” the sources told Anadolu.

The sources suggested that the group is likely to accept the proposal.

According to the sources, the US, Egypt, and Qatar have offered “broad guarantees” to facilitate the agreement, without elaborating on the nature of these guarantees.

Türkiye, they said, could be among the guarantor countries of the deal.
“There are still ongoing discussions around a number of technical details, including mechanisms for the entry of humanitarian aid, maps of Israeli troop withdrawal, and arrangements for the period following the proposed 60-day cease-fire,” the sources said.

The talks also cover further details in case the 60-day period proves insufficient to reach a final and comprehensive agreement, they added.

Hamas is expected to give its formal response to the proposal within the next two days, the sources said.

The Palestinian group on Wednesday confirmed that it was reviewing proposals from mediators aimed at ending the war, ensuring an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and facilitating urgent humanitarian relief.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also claimed that there were “positive signs” that a deal could be reached to end the fighting and secure a prisoner swap.

Hamas has repeatedly stated its readiness to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for an end to Israel’s military campaign and a complete withdrawal from Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has resisted a comprehensive deal, pushing instead for limited arrangements that would allow the war to continue, a position widely seen as an effort to preserve his political survival.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 57,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.