HAMAS RESPONDS TO PROPOSED GAZA CEASEFIRE PLAN
Hamas says it has given its response to a framework proposal for a new ceasefire in Gaza. The details of the deal, set out by Israel, the US, Qatar and Egypt have not been released. It was earlier reported to include a six-week truce, when more Israeli hostages would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Israel and the United States have both said they are reviewing Hamas’s response. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently in the Middle East, said he will discuss Hamas’s response with officials in Israel on Wednesday. While Blinken has given no indication of how the US views the response, President Joe Biden described it as a little over the top, suggesting the Israeli leadership will not easily agree to what the group is asking.
A senior Hamas official told journalists that the group had presented a positive vision in response to the framework but had asked for some amendments relating to the rebuilding of Gaza, the return of its residents to their homes and the provisions for those who had been displaced. The official said Hamas had also asked for changes relating to the treatment of those injured, including their return home and transfer to hospitals abroad.
