The Biden administration said Tuesday it is evaluating a Hamas response to a proposed temporary ceasefire that would halt fighting with Israel in the Gaza Strip.
The response comes a day after the United Nations Security Council approved a US-drafted resolution that lays out the three phases of a temporary ceasefire agreement with a path to a permanent end to hostilities.
“We received this response that Hamas delivered to Qatar and Egypt. And we are evaluating that now,” National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said in a conference call with reporters.
Hamas’s main decision-maker is Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the group hiding in the Gaza Strip, who conveyed his rejection of previous ceasefire proposals after a week-long truce collapsed in early November.
Wall Street Journalreportedon Monday that Sinwar demonstrated through messages to Hamas leadership outside Gaza that continued fighting with Israel, resulting in further destruction of the Strip and deaths of Palestinian civilians, contributes to the group’s goals.
“It shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that Mr. Sinwar doesn’t care about the lives of the innocent Palestinians who have been caught up in this war,” Kirby said, responding to a question about the Journal’s reporting.
“Without confirming the specifics of the report, in general it was certainly not unusual the brutality of which this man is capable, and the willingness of which he showed himself capable or capable, from the beginning of the attempt to advance his own agenda on the back of and in the lives of innocent Palestinians living in Gaza.”
Hamas said in a statement Tuesday that its response, transmitted through Egypt and Qatar, “places priority on the interests of our Palestinian people, the need to completely stop the ongoing aggression in Gaza, and the withdrawal [of the occupation forces] of the entire Gaza Strip,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“The Palestinian delegation expressed the willingness to negotiate in a positive way, in order to reach an agreement that puts an end to this war against our people, in the sense of national responsibility,” the statement continues.
The ceasefire proposal was announced by President Biden on May 31. It was characterized as originating in Israel, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered vague assurances of Israel’s commitment to the proposal. Israeli authorities have warned that they are not offering a unilateral agreement to the proposal without Hamas’ commitment to the agreement.
But U.S. officials said Israel accepted the proposal and that Hamas’s agreement to the first phase of the deal would allow a six-week ceasefire to take place immediately.
“Israel has already agreed to this deal and the fighting could stop today if Hamas did the same. I repeat, the fighting can stop today,” said US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield after the Security Council vote.
The six-week ceasefire, part of the so-called phase one, would require Hamas to release hostages, including women, the elderly and the wounded, as well as return the remains of some hostages who were killed. Israel says Hamas has 120 hostages, some dead.
Israel would release Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons in exchange for hostages and withdraw its military forces from the populated areas of Gaza. Palestinian civilians would also be allowed to return to their homes and neighborhoods in “all areas of Gaza, including the north.” The ceasefire would also allow for an increase in humanitarian assistance.
During the six-week ceasefire, negotiators would work to transition to a second phase of the proposal, to establish a “permanent end to hostilities,” which would include the full release of all hostages and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. .
Hamas has previously said it could not agree to such a proposal without an Israeli commitment to a permanent end to the war and full withdrawal from the Strip.
Hamas’ statement on the deal followed the designated terrorist group on Monday welcoming the UN Security Council’s approval of the resolution.
Basem Naim, Hamas’ head of political and international relations, said the group was “waiting for Israel to negotiate the details” when asked by The Hill what the next steps are following Hamas’ reception of the resolution.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, traveling through the Middle East to gain support for the ceasefire proposal, called Hamas’ response to the UN resolution a “sign of hope… but not dispositive” because it did not originate from the armed forces. . group leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.
“What is dispositive, at least what has so far been dispositive in one way or another, is the word that comes from Gaza and the Hamas leadership in Gaza.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
