Netanyahu set to speak to Biden as Israel weighs latest Hamas cease-fire proposal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to speak with President Biden over the phone on Thursday, officials say, after Hamas sent in its latest proposal for a hostage exchange and cease-fire deal.Both the US and Israeli governments are examining Hamas’s proposal, which was sent over to Egyptian and Qatari negotiators on Wednesday.
A US official familiar with the matter calling the proposal “constructive,” but in need of more work.Netanyahu has called on his security cabinet to convene Thursday and discuss the latest developments to try to free the some 120 hostages remaining in Gaza.The prime minister will likely seek the Biden administration’s input during the expected call, the Times of Israel reports, as Hamas’ newest proposal is likely an amended version of the US-back deal approved of the UN Security Council.
Hamas had rejected the deal last month, which called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and laid the groundwork for a hostage exchange, as well as allowing more aid to be delivered to Palestinian refugees.Like with previous deals before it, Hamas refused on the grounds that the proposal did not call for an end to the war, a condition Israel has rejected as Netanyahu reiterated that the fighting will only end once Hamas is eradicated.
Hamas political official Bassem Naim, however, claimed the terrorist group had not fully accepted or rejected the American proposal.Naime said Hamas has “responded with some ideas to bridge the gap,” but did not elaborate on what those ideas were.
The terror group claimed in a statement that their demands were flexible, but again tried to cast the blame on the stalled talks on Israel, accusing the Jewish state of “trying to deceive and evade.” Negotiators believe Israel and Hamas’ main issue stems from the uncertainty between the first two phases of Biden’s plan.During phase one, Israel would withdraw from densely populated areas in Gaza and release hundreds of ...