GAZA STRIP: A top Hamas official told AFP Friday the group expects a swift Israeli response – “likely today or tomorrow morning” – to its new “ideas” for halting the Gaza war and freeing hostages.
As an Israeli ended a first round of new talks with mediators in Qatar, Osama Hamdan also insisted that the group’s military wing remains “in a good condition” to keep up the nine-month-old war.
Hamdan said there were no new concrete proposals in a document sent to Israel this week but “some ideas were proposed to overcome” Israeli reticence about a ceasefire.
“We are waiting to hear a response, likely today or tomorrow morning,” he said.
“If the response is positive, then we will discuss these ideas in detail because we will enter into the implementation discussion of these ideas, which… will not take long.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to send the head of the Mossad intelligence service, David Barnea, to Doha for talks with Qatari mediators and his delegation was expected to arrive on Friday.
Israel weighs Hamas response to Gaza ceasefire proposal
Because of the devastation of the war, both sides face mounting international and domestic pressure to halt the conflict that started with the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.
The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Hamas also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the army says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 38,011 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
“The goal of negotiations is to cease the aggression, withdraw forces and allow the Palestinian people to rebuild Gaza, including shelter, relief and other details,” Hamdan said.
“Ultimately, a fair and suitable prisoner exchange deal must be completed.”
American Dollar Exchange Rate