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In response to the proposal sent last week by the Qatari and Egyptian mediators and backed by the United States of America and Israel, Hamas has proposed a ceasefire plan that would quieten the guns for four and a half months leading to an end to the war.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived overnight in Israel after meeting the leaders of the mediators of Qatar and Egypt in the most serious diplomatic push of the war so far aimed at reaching an extended truce. Th details of the Hamas counteroffer have not been reported previously.
The Hamas counterproposal envisions three phases lasting 45 days each. The proposal would see militant exchanging the remaining Israeli hostages they captured on October 7, 2023 for Palestinian prisoners according to a draft document seen an international media agency. The reconstruction of Gaza would begin, Israeli forces would withdraw completely and then bodies and remains would be exchanged.
In the first phase (the 45-day period), Hamas has proposed to release all Israeli women hostages, males under 19, the elderly, the sick This would be done in exchange for the release of Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons. During the second phase, which will last for 45 days, the remaining male hostages would be released and in the final culmination stage, which would last for another 45 days, the remains will be exchanged. The proposal also said that by the end of the third phase, Hamas would expect the sides to have reached an agreement on an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
In an addendum to the proposal, Hamas said it wished for the release of 1500 prisoners, a third of whom it wanted it to select from a list of Palestinian handed life sentences by Israel. The truce in the war would also increase the flow of food as well as other aides to civilians in Gaza who are allegedly facing hunger, acute shortages of basic supplies. The terrorist group has been demanding 500 trucks of aid a day.
Israel began its military office in Gaza after Hamas terrorists killed 1200 people and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the Gaza health ministry at least 27,585 Palestinians have been confirmed killed in Israel on October 7, 2023 with thousands more feared buried under rubble.
The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu office has said that the Hamas counter offer has been delivered and is being evaluated by Israel. Moreover, the demands by Hamas for a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces are likely to be seen as entirely unacceptable by Israel.
However, the Israeli military is still focused on destroying Hamas brigades and hunting down Hamas leaders and Netanyahu, ever mindful of his own political survival, is under pressure from right-wing allies who warn they’ll bring down his government if he makes any concessions.
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