The Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced that he had received
"a positive response" from Hamas
on the agreement for the Israeli hostages in Gaza.
The prime minister said Hamas had given a "positive" response to the US-backed proposal to release the hostages in exchange for suspending Gaza's war with Israel.
"We have received a response from Hamas regarding the general framework of the hostage agreement. The response includes some comments, but in general it is positive," Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said during the press
conference in Doha with the secretary of US State Antony Blinken
.
Hamas insists on its call for "a
total and comprehensive ceasefire
" and for the "end of the aggression".
The Islamic faction made this known on Telegram, confirming that it had forwarded its response to the Paris mediation to Qatar and Egypt, "addressed in a positive spirit".
"Hamas' response is essentially negative."
This was stated by an Israeli political source quoted by Channel 12 TV. Authoritative sources in Israel quoted by Ynet claimed that
"Hamas said yes to the framework of the agreement but has set impossible conditions. We will not stop the fighting".
"There was a response from Hamas" regarding the hostage agreement "but it's a bit beyond the pale....
We're thinking about it
. "
US President Joe Biden said this while answering questions from journalists at the White House.
Antony Blinken announced that he will discuss Hamas's response to the hostage deal with Israel tomorrow.
In the press conference with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Blinken then reiterated that it is
"essential" to reach the agreement
on the hostages between Israel and Hamas.
At least 32 Israeli hostages -
a fifth of the 136 abductees still in Hamas hands - are dead
.
This was reported by the New York Times, which viewed an internal assessment of the Israeli army.
The families of the 32 hostages, whose deaths have been confirmed, have been notified, four military officials told the NYT, adding that intelligence reports were being verified that at least 20 other hostages had been killed.
The figure of 32 dead hostages is higher than what the Israeli authorities have publicly stated so far.
The IDF told the NYT that
most were killed on October 7
.
31 and not 32 Israeli hostages died.
The Forum of families of the abductees
made this known
, adding that it had been informed in this sense by the army before the publication of the New York Times article.
"According to the official data in our possession there are 31 victims. Before the article was published - explained the Forum - the liaison officers communicated to all the families of the kidnapped people that there was no change in the assessment of the situation".
Meanwhile, the
United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA
expects its preliminary report into Israeli allegations that a dozen of its employees took part in the October 7 attack on Israel will be ready early next month.
His representative in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus, said this, quoted by the Guardian.
The UN official told reporters in Lebanon that the agency expects donors who suspended their funding after the allegations emerged
to review their decisions
based on the investigation.
The United Nations yesterday appointed an independent commission to evaluate UNRWA's neutrality in the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October.
The agency is under fire after the investigation revealed that
12 of its employees participated in various forms in the massacres
in Israel.
The commission, appointed by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, will be led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, in collaboration with three research centers - the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway and the for Human Rights), according to a UN statement.
In the final report the commission will, if necessary,
submit proposals to "improve the mechanisms in place"
for the functioning of the organisation.
The appointment of the commission was decided in consultation with the Commissioner General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, who had requested it: the tasks will be to evaluate whether the agency is doing everything in its power "to guarantee its neutrality and to respond to allegations of serious violations if they occur."
Guterres noted that these accusations came at a time when the largest UN agency in the region "is
working under extremely difficult conditions
to provide life-saving assistance to the two million people in the Gaza Strip who depend on it for their survival." in one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises in the world."
The independent external review of UNRWA's work will take place alongside an ongoing investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) into allegations of staff members' involvement in the October 7 attacks.
The commission will begin its work on February 14 and its final report, which will be made public, is expected to be completed at the end of April 2024.
Israel, 'We will provide evidence of links to Hamas
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, informed of the creation of the commission of inquiry, said that "We will provide all evidence that highlights UNRWA's links to terrorism and its harmful effects on regional stability."
"It is imperative - he added - that this Commission brings the truth to light, making the resignation of the president of UNRWA Lazzarini necessary".
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