Hamas officials reject latest Israeli proposal on Gaza truce
Hamas announced it has rejected Israel's latest counterproposal for a truce in Gaza and the release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. The Sunni Palestinian paramilitary organization accuses Netanyahu's government of obstructing the agreement proposed by Egypt and Qatar.
Indirect negotiations to restore the truce in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners have suffered a new setback. The Islamist movement Hamas has rejected Israel's latest counteroffer, making a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave difficult.
"Hamas has decided not to respond to the recent Israeli proposal conveyed through mediators," a Hamas official said on condition of anonymity. He also accused Israel of blocking the joint Egyptian-Qatar initiative, suggesting that the Israeli government's intention is to hinder the peace process.
Another Hamas representative reaffirmed the Sunni Palestinian paramilitary organization's position and demanded that mediators and the international community pressure Israel to accept the proposal made by Egypt and Qatar. The Islamist group's refusal to negotiate based on the Israeli offer prolongs the conflict, leaving the hostages' situation in uncertainty.
Since March 18, following the failure of talks to extend the two-month truce, Israel has resumed bombing and ground operations in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government maintains that military pressure is the only way to force the release of the hostages, whether alive or dead.
Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have intensified diplomatic efforts to restore the ceasefire and secure the release of the captives. However, the stalemate in negotiations complicates the possibility of reaching an agreement in the short term.
Last Saturday, Hamas approved a new truce proposal presented by Egypt and Qatar. This included a 50-day ceasefire, during which the movement would release five Israeli soldiers, one of them an American citizen, in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Furthermore, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from certain areas of Gaza and the facilitation of access to humanitarian aid were expected.
The first phase of the agreement, launched on January 19, saw the release of 33 Israeli hostages, eight of them deceased, in exchange for the release of some 1,800 Palestinians. According to Israeli military data, of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack, 58 remain in Gaza, of whom 34 are believed to have died. The lack of progress in the negotiations continues the humanitarian crisis in the region and fuels uncertainty about the future of the captives.
Israel fragments Gaza to force the release of hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army is "fragmenting" Gaza and seizing areas to pressure Hamas to release hostages still held in Palestinian territory. On Wednesday, Israeli strikes killed at least 34 people in Gaza, the territory's Civil Defense said.
"The army is fragmenting the Strip and gradually increasing pressure to get the hostages to return," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel "is seizing territory, attacking terrorists, and destroying infrastructure."
The Israeli prime minister also indicated that the armed forces are "taking control of the 'Morag Axis,'" a strip designed to separate the cities of Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south of the territory.
The axis' name refers to the former Jewish settlement of Morag, which was dismantled in 2005 when the Israeli army unilaterally withdrew from Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz previously stated that the Israeli military was expanding its operations to seize "large areas" of the territory, with the goal of "destroying and clearing the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure."