CAIRO: Hamas stated on Friday (Mar 21) it was reviewing a United States proposal to revive the Gaza ceasefire as Israel intensified navy operations within the enclave to press the Palestinian militant group into liberating the remaining Israeli hostages.
US particular envoy Steve Witkoff’s “bridge” plan, introduced final week, goals to increase the ceasefire into April, past Ramadan and Passover, to permit time for negotiations on a everlasting cessation of hostilities.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated the navy was ramping up air, land and sea strikes and would additionally evacuate civilians to the southern a part of Gaza, talking three days after Israel successfully deserted the two-month-old truce.
Katz emphasised that Israel would proceed its marketing campaign till Hamas launched additional hostages and was completely defeated.
Nonetheless, whereas Israel inflicted critical harm on Hamas with airstrikes this week that killed its Gaza authorities chief and different high officers, Palestinian and Israeli sources say Hamas has proven it could possibly soak up main losses and nonetheless combat and govern.
Hamas stated it was nonetheless debating Witkoff’s proposal and different concepts, with the objective of reaching a deal on prisoner releases, ending the warfare, and securing an entire Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian official, talking on situation of anonymity, informed Reuters Egypt had additionally put ahead a bridging proposal, however Hamas had but to reply. The official declined to offer particulars on the proposal, which he stated was into consideration.
Two Egyptian safety sources stated Egypt urged placing a timeline into place for releasing the remainder of the hostages alongside a deadline for a full Israeli pullout from Gaza with US ensures.
The sources stated the US had signalled preliminary approval of the plan whereas Hamas and Israel’s responses had been anticipated afterward Friday.
A short lived, first part of the truce ended firstly of this month, however Israel and Hamas couldn’t overcome variations over phrases for launching the second part. Hamas held up additional hostage releases and Israeli navy motion then resumed.
After two months of relative calm, Gazans had been once more fleeing for his or her lives after Israel launched a brand new, all-out air and ground campaign towards Hamas on Tuesday and minimize off all support deliveries into the coastal enclave.
Katz warned that Hamas would lose extra territory the longer it saved refusing to free remaining hostages. Of the greater than 250 initially seized in Hamas’ October 2023 assault on Israel, 59 stay in Gaza, 24 of whom are considered alive.
