Jerusalem: Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas’ political wing, said Monday that the group had agreed to a proposal for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, but it was unclear what terms it had accepted. A senior Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hamas had not agreed to the terms of the latest Israeli proposal.
Haniyeh’s statement was posted on Hamas’ official Telegram channel. It came on the same day Israel ordered people in one part of the city of Rafah to evacuate before a promised offensive there, and a day after Hamas fired rockets near the Kerem Shalom crossing in the border region between Israel and southern Gaza, killing four soldiers.
Haniyeh said he had told the Qatari prime minister and the chief of Egypt’s intelligence services that Hamas had accepted “their proposal.” There was no immediate comment from Qatar or Egypt.
Hamas negotiators had left Cairo on Sunday after talks hit an impasse and they failed to reach an agreement with mediators on Israel’s most recent offer in talks.
The main stumbling block in the indirect negotiations, which are being mediated by Qatar and Egypt, has been the length of the cease-fire.
Hamas has demanded a permanent cease-fire, which would in effect end the seven-month war, while Israel wants a temporary halt in fighting that would allow for the exchange of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners.
Published 06 May 2024, 19:25 IST