A truce on track in Gaza?
Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday that it had received and "examined" a proposed ceasefire agreement with Israel in the Palestinian territory, the result of a meeting organized in Paris this weekend between American, Israeli, Qataris and Egyptians.
The leader of the Islamist movement, Ismaïl Haniyeh, based in Qatar, “confirms that the movement has received the proposal that circulated during the meeting and that Hamas is examining it” and preparing its response.
Who was this project negotiated by?
The proposal was negotiated during a meeting this weekend in Paris between American, Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian representatives.
It was attended by CIA Director William Burns, Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahmane Al-Thani, as well as the head of Israeli intelligence services Mossad and the head of Egyptian intelligence.
What does it contain?
The framework developed in Paris for a possible second agreement – after the one which allowed the release of around a hundred hostages in November – “is a solid and convincing framework”, assured American Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday, without give more details.
According to the New York Times, this plan would involve a six-week truce and the release of certain hostages against Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Elderly people, women and children, still held in Gaza, would be particularly affected by this first six-week phase.
Two others could follow, with the handover by Hamas of Israeli soldiers and the repatriation of hostages who died in captivity.
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The process is, however, only just beginning, specifies the American daily.
The project presented to Hamas must serve as a basis for negotiations, and many details will remain to be resolved if the Palestinian organization agrees to rely on this framework.
What are the points of disagreement?
Antony Blinken indicated that the countries participating in the negotiations agreed with the initial framework negotiated in Paris.
“Hamas will have to make its own decisions,” he added.
Also read “Now they will face life”: in Israel, the difficult return of ex-Hamas hostages
However, he has indicated that he wishes to negotiate a “complete ceasefire” with Israel before any agreement, a senior official of the Palestinian Islamist movement said on Monday.
“Above all, we are talking about a complete and total ceasefire and not a temporary truce,” said Taher al-Nounou, a senior Hamas official.
Once the fighting stops, “the rest of the details can be discussed,” he said.
How many hostages are still held in Gaza?
During the October 7 attack, 250 people were kidnapped by Hamas, according to Israeli authorities.
Around a hundred were released during the seven-day truce at the end of November and 132 hostages are still believed to be held in the Palestinian territory.
Among them, 28 are believed to have died.
Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Saturday his desire to free all the hostages and “bring them home”.