Hamas said to give amendments to hostage deal offer including new timeline, full withdrawal from Gaza
The Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad response to Israel’s latest hostage-ceasefire proposal includes amendments to the offer, Al Jazeera reports.
Quoting unnamed sources, the Qatari outlet says that the terror groups’ proposed amendments include Israel’s withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, including the Rafah Border Crossing and so-called Philadelphi Corridor — which runs for a total of 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) all along the Gaza-Egypt border.
According to the report, the Palestinian response was sent to Qatari and Egyptian negotiators by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Palestinian Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziad al-Nakhaleh.
Reuters quotes an official briefed on the talks as saying that the Hamas response also includes a new timeline for a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Channel 12 reported yesterday that Israel’s proposed hostage and ceasefire deal, announced by US President Joe Biden in late May, includes a commitment to end the war in Gaza even before all hostages are released.