The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Hamas had responded positively to U.S. President Joe Biden’s ceasefire agreement.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sami Shoukry, one of the mediators in the ceasefire negotiations, issued a statement on the ceasefire proposal and the response of the parties involved.
“Hamas is positive.”
Regarding the acceptance of the ceasefire proposal, Shoukry said, “Hamas said it is open to the proposal presented by Biden. Now we are waiting for Israel.”
Shoukry also said Egypt does not accept Israeli control of the Rafah border gate in southern Gaza.
He stressed that it would be extremely difficult for Palestinians to continue passing through without any control at the border gates.
In a White House speech on May 31, Biden said the terrorist state of Israel would present a new three-phase ceasefire plan, with the first phase seeing Israel withdraw from Gaza settlements during a six-week ceasefire process. Some prisoners held by the parties would also be released, he said.
Biden’s proposed ceasefire agreement
Biden said that in the second phase, when negotiations will take place on a transition to a permanent cessation of hostilities, all remaining prisoners, including male soldiers, will be released, Israel will withdraw from Gaza (in the first phase) and a temporary ceasefire will be put into place. He said that if the ceasefire becomes permanent, the third phase will begin, during which the process of rebuilding the conflict will begin. The Gaza issue will be on the agenda, and dead hostages held by both parties will also be handed over.
Netanyahu’s final decision unclear
Israeli media reported yesterday that Tel Aviv had accepted the outline of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange plan for Gaza announced by US President Joe Biden, but Israel’s final decision was unclear…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he insisted on continuing the war in Gaza until all objectives were achieved.
Hamas also announced that it was open to a proposal put forward by Israel and announced by US President Joe Biden for a “permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction and prisoner exchange.”
Finally, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he would support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he accepted the ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip announced by Biden.
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