In a response to a US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan confirmed to Al-Mayadeen TV on Tuesday that while the Palestinian group supports the broad outlines of the plan, it has submitted “a few remarks” aimed at aligning the proposal more closely with its positions. The US plan, introduced by President Joe Biden last month, envisages a three-phase process starting with an initial six-week ceasefire.
According to the plan described by Jurist, Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Hamas freeing Israeli hostages. Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas, facilitating the return of displaced civilians, while humanitarian aid to Gaza would increase significantly. Subsequent stages of the proposal would involve negotiating a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli exit from Gaza, and the release of all remaining hostages.
However, Hamdan emphasized that Hamas seeks amendments to ensure the ceasefire is permanent from the outset and includes complete Israeli military withdrawal. A Hamas official told the media that their response to the US ceasefire plan reaffirms the aim to end hostilities in Gaza. Despite asserting that the Palestinian resistance factions could continue military operations if necessary, Hamdan acknowledged the necessity of reaching a ceasefire agreement to end the violence.
The proposed amendments were determined following consultations among Hamas leaders both inside and outside Gaza. “We reiterated our previous stance. I believe there are no big gaps. The ball is now in the Israeli court,” said Hamdan. Moreover, Hamas welcomed the UN Security Council resolution endorsing the US ceasefire plan, as confirmed by Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Hamas’ response a “hopeful sign” but noted that an agreement ultimately hinges on “the word coming from Gaza and from the Hamas leadership.” Meanwhile, Qatari and Egyptian officials, who are mediating between the conflicting parties, confirmed on Tuesday that they received the response from the Palestinian factions in a meeting in Doha with a joint Hamas-PIJ delegation. The Qatari Foreign Ministry stated that the officials would consider Hamas’ feedback and strive to reach an agreement in their ongoing efforts to end the conflict.