In the ongoing discussions between Israel and Hamas regarding a truce and release of prisoners in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has announced that it has received the latest proposal from Israel and will be examining it carefully, according to senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya. He further added that a response will be provided once the proposal has been thoroughly assessed.
In a move to rekindle the stagnant ceasefire discussions, the US spearheaded an initiative with 17 other nations, urging Hamas to free hostages—their citizens that are either seized or missing within Gaza’s borders. Consequently, this could expedite the availability of more humanitarian aids. Hamas is tagged as a terrorist group by various entities, such as the US and the EU.
The international community continues to pressure Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, to negotiate a truce with Hamas. This pressure is driven by international trepidation over his proposed Rafah offensive that could jeopardise millions of refugees, and internal Israeli protests regarding the fate of the hostages.
In exchange for releasing hostages—including women, the injured, the elderly, and the ill—the US proposed an interim Gaza ceasefire. This would lead to the freedom of Palestinian prisoners and a boost in humanitarian aid supplies within the torn territory. These negotiations are presently being facilitated by the US, Egypt, and Qatar.
Hamas is prepared to surrender its weapons upon the establishment of a Palestinian state that respects the pre-1967 borders, as affirmed by Al-Hayya on Wednesday. He, however, remained firm on his insistence for an end to the Gaza conflict and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, something Israel continues to resist.
The deliberations on the suggested truce coincided with the recent violent incident where two Palestinian armed men were killed by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank upon attacking the troops. An image showcasing the duo’s assault rifles was shared by the military. Two other individuals were injured in the tense situation near Jenin, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. Palestinian authorities in the West Bank have not yet offered any additional comments concerning the incident.
Following an assault led by Hamas against southern Israel on 7th October, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities and 253 hostages, Israel counteracted by initiating a campaign in Gaza. This retaliation led to the death of over 34,000 Palestinians and widespread displacement throughout the affected population.
The West Bank had already observed an escalation in violence prior to the war, but this became notably more intense subsequent to the conflict, with an increased frequency of Israeli operations and Palestinian civilian resistance.
The Palestinian nationhood aspirations include the West Bank and Gaza; territories that were overtaken by Israel during the war of 1967. – As reported by Bloomberg/Reuters.