Israel has not responded while preparing an offensive on some of Gaza's most populated areas. The prospect of an expanded assault on areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians has provoked condemnation inside Israel and abroad. Most Palestinians see no place in Gaza as safe, including declared humanitarian zones, after 22 months of war. Large Israeli rallies fear further danger to remaining hostages, with only about 20 of 50 thought alive. Qatar and Egypt pursue mediation; mediators say Hamas agreed to terms similar to a US 60-day ceasefire proposal involving phased releases and negotiations.
But Israel has yet to weigh in as its military prepares an offensive on some of the territory's most populated areas. The prospect of an expanded assault on areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians has sparked condemnation inside Israel and abroad. Most war-weary Palestinians see no place in Gaza as safe, not even declared humanitarian zones, after 22 months of war. Many Israelis, who rallied in their hundreds of thousands on Sunday, fear the offensive will further endanger the remaining hostages in Gaza.
"If this [ceasefire] proposal fails, the crisis will exacerbate," Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry, told journalists, adding they have yet to hear from Israel on it. Mr al-Ansari said Hamas had agreed to terms under discussion. He declined to provide details but said the proposal was "almost identical" to one previously advanced by US envoy Steve Witkoff. That US proposal was for a 60-day ceasefire, during which some of the remaining hostages would be released.
Collection
[
|
...
]