Hamas seeks concrete conditions for the unconditional return of displaced individuals to northern Gaza and discussions on the gradual and complete withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza as part of the agreement’s second phase, according to the source.
The source, who has close ties to the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the deal, added that the current ceasefire proposal did not fully explain who would be allowed to return north and how it would be decided.
Meanwhile, sources told Al-Shorouk Daily that Hamas wants amendments to the part of the proposal that urges excluding fighters from returning to northern Gaza.
Hamas argues that this formulation would give Israel the authority to restrict the return of Palestinians to their homes, as distinguishing between militants and civilians would be complex, according to the sources.
The movement insists that the return of displaced individuals must be “unconditional.”
Additionally, Hamas wants the proposal to ensure a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, even if in a gradual process, as the current proposal does not explicitly state this.
Hamas has demonstrated flexibility regarding the Israeli proposal for a "gradual withdrawal" from Gaza but wants to ensure it happens in "full" ultimately, the sources added.
The proposed plan suggests an initial withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor in the central Gaza Strip, followed by a withdrawal from Rasheed Street two weeks later, and ultimately reaching the east of Salah Al-Din Street near the borders, they clarified.
Hamas is currently evaluating the proposed deal, which entails a 40-day cessation of Israeli attacks and an exchange of captives, with a larger number of Palestinian prisoners to be released.
The movement will provide a clear response to the proposal “within a very short period,” senior Hamas official Suhail Al-Hindi informed AFP, underlining the group's commitment to its demand for a permanent ceasefire.
US pressures Hamas
Israel presented this proposal to the Egyptian delegation that visited Tel Aviv on Friday, led by Head of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel.
The US has been pressuring Hamas to accept that proposal.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who made his seventh tour to the Middle East since the start of the war, described the Israeli proposal as "extraordinarily generous," emphasizing that Hamas is the obstacle preventing a ceasefire.
“The time is now,” Blinken said in Israel on Wednesday, calling on Hamas to accept a ceasefire and asserting that the movement will bear the blame for a failure to reach a deal.
Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed Blinken’s remarks, saying the US secretary is unfairly blaming the movement for the delay in the ceasefire deal.
Abu Zuhri stated that the Israeli negotiating team has acknowledged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu obstructs an agreement.
He also said Hamas is still studying the proposal.
Hamas sent a delegation to Cairo on Monday to discuss brokering a ceasefire with mediators, pledging to return with a written response to the current proposal.
Proposal broken down
The proposed deal includes the release of 33 Israeli captives over several weeks in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary halt in hostilities, an Israeli source close to the talks and a foreign diplomatic source told CNN.
A second phase of the truce would involve the release of remaining captives in exchange for other Palestinian prisoners, for a “restoration of sustainable calm,” the diplomatic source said.
CNN says Egypt crafted the proposed deal with the help of Israel, but it has not received a full agreement yet from Tel Aviv.
Egypt has proposed a one-year ceasefire that would allow the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the release of all captives, and repatriation of dead bodies, an Israeli source familiar with the talks said.
Israel has made significant concessions as reflected in the proposed deal, including a period of “sustainable calm” following the initial cessation of hostilities, the Israeli source told AFP.
However, the Israeli troops’ withdrawal from Gaza continues to be a contentious issue, the source added.
An Israeli official informed AFP that the government will wait for responses until Wednesday night and then decide whether to send envoys to Cairo to finalize the deal.
Halting Rafah invasion
Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been actively mediating between Israel and Hamas to halt the war, secure captives' release, and facilitate the entry of more aid into the war-torn strip.
The international community, particularly Egypt, closely watches Israeli threats of a ground invasion in Rafah in southern Gaza, despite widespread outcry due to the potential humanitarian catastrophe it could cause.
Rafah is currently home to over 1.5 million Palestinians, more than half of Gaza's population, most of whom are displaced individuals seeking refuge from Israeli attacks.
A ground invasion in Rafah would be a “tragedy beyond words,” UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said on Tuesday.
Since the war began on 7 October, Israeli forces have killed over 34,000 people, injured more than 77,000, caused extensive damage to Gaza's infrastructure, and displaced most of the residents of the strip.
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