Palestinian group Hamas has submitted responses to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but key officials of the group said the proposed deal provided “no guarantee to end the war.”
Speaking to Al Jazeera on Saturday, Basim Naim said that despite the Palestinian group saying the proposal was different from what Witkov agreed to a week ago, Hamas still “responded positively” to the latest proposal he told it.
“A week ago, we agreed with Witkov on one proposal and said, ‘This is acceptable, we can consider this a bargaining paper,'” Naim said. “He went to the other, the Israelites, to get their response. Instead of responding to our suggestions, he brought us a new suggestion…it had nothing to do with what we agreed to.”
In a statement released on Saturday, Hamas said it had submitted a response to Witkov, saying the proposal “subject to ensure a permanent ceasefire from the Gaza Strip, a comprehensive withdrawal and a flow of aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.”
Hamas added that in exchange for “an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners,” 10 living Israeli prisoners will be released as part of the agreement and as the remains of 18 dead Israelis.
Witkov called Hamas’ response “totally unacceptable.”
“Hamas should accept the proposed framework proposal as a basis for proximity consultations, which can be started right away this week,” he said in a social media post. “This is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire contract where half of the living hostages and half of the deceased can return to family homes and substantive negotiations can be held in good faith to reach a permanent ceasefire in close consultations.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned Hamas’ reaction.
Israel has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians since October 2023, and starvation has been looming across Gaza after Israel’s weeks of lockdown, with only a small stream of aid flow since Israel allowed it to reopen in mid-May.
Hunger v
As hope for a permanent ceasefire appears to be waning again, levels of hunger and despair within Gaza grow, and Israel allows the strip to trickle humanitarian aid after imposing a full blockade for more than two months. The United Nations warned on Friday that all of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is at risk of hunger. It came after one in five Palestinians said they were experiencing starvation in mid-May.
The World Food Programme (WFP), which is well-prepared near the Gaza border to feed the entire population of the besieged territory for two months, has updated its call for an immediate ceasefire as the only way to get food to hungry Palestinians.
The UN food agency said in a statement that they brought 77 trucks loaded with flour into Gaza early on Friday, but they were stopped by people trying to feed their hungry families.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) for US and Israeli aid continues its own, controversial distribution of aid. Other aid groups say they can violate humanitarian principles and militarize the provision of desperately needed food. The Gaza government’s media office said this week that at least 10 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces while they were seeking assistance.
“We went to this new area and came out empty-handed,” resident Leila Al Masri said of the new GHF distribution point. “What they say about the will to feed the people of Gaza is a lie. They don’t feed or drink people either.”
Another evacuated Palestinian, Abdel Qadar Rabi, said there was nothing left for the people of the besieged territory to feed their families. “We don’t have flour, no food, no bread. There’s nothing in the house,” he said.
The Rabby said every time he tries to get a box of aid at GHF, he flocks to hundreds of other people trying to get it. “If you’re strong, you’ll receive assistance. If you’re not, you’ll leave empty-handed,” Laby added.
There are other risks too. Families report people missing after reaching the GHF distribution point.
“One of these cases is a man from Al Mugari’s family. The family is appealing to the ICRC, Ocha and the civil defense team to search and search for him, very close to the Netzarim corridor. [in central Gaza]Hand Kodaly reported from Deia El Bala in central Gaza. Israeli authorities have refused to file charges, Khoudary added.
Bombing and forced displacement
Israeli forces continue their attacks on Gaza, and a spokesman for the civil defense of the territory said about 60 homes have been bombed in Gaza city and northern Gaza in the past 48 hours.
On Saturday, there were also reports from across Gaza of the Israeli bombing in which at least 20 Palestinians were killed. More than 3,900 Palestinians have been killed since Israel unilaterally defeated the ceasefire in March, resuming Gaza’s devastation despite rising international condemnation.
Since early Friday, the Israeli Army has ordered the lives of “all residents” of South Khan Yunis, Bani Suhaila and Abasan shortly after the Rocket had said he had been fired earlier. ” [army] Military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement. The southern Gaza region has been “alerted several times in the past and has been designated as a dangerous combat zone,” he added.
According to the United Nations, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced in the past two weeks alone, and the displacement order covers the entire governor at the northernmost and southernmost of Gaza, as well as the eastern part of each of the three governors in between.
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