The latest ceasefire proposal from Israel has been rejected by Hamas, according to a BBC report.
The proposal called for Hamas to disarm and release some hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire. However, a senior Palestinian official claimed the Israeli offer lacked a guarantee to end the war. It also didn’t commit to a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
These are Hamas’s main demands. The proposal also required Hamas to release half of the hostages they have taken and who are still alive. Currently, 59 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, remain in Gaza. Only 24 are believed to be alive.
Israel presented the proposal to mediators last week, just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Donald Trump. A Hamas delegation then met with Egyptian officials to discuss the Israeli offer.
The United Nations has warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is now at its worst since the war started 18 months ago. Israel has not allowed any aid to enter Gaza through its crossings for six weeks, the longest such halt. The UN disputes Israel’s claim that Gaza has enough food to last. The UN warns that this blockade may violate international humanitarian law.
Netanyahu said the blockade aims to pressure Hamas to release hostages and extend the latest ceasefire agreement, which expired on March 1.
Source: bbc