The London newspaper The Times reveals significant progress in negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the last Israeli hostages, Focus reports.
Senior Hamas officials abroad have been ordered to hand over their personal weapons, a move seen as a symbolic gesture in response to Israel's demand for the group to disarm, the Greek publication Protothema reported.
According to the publication, the directive came from Qatari mediators and is intended to demonstrate goodwill on the part of Hamas - although the organization has so far categorically rejected any calls for disarmament.
Among the officials ordered to hand over their weapons are chief negotiator and member of the political bureau Khalil al-Haya, Zaher Jabaren - head of Hamas's West Bank structure based in Istanbul, and Shura Council chairman Mohammed Ismail Darwish.
Meanwhile, Hamas continues to consider the latest ceasefire proposal, with its official response expected by Friday. According to a report from Saudi Arabia, the group is “rather satisfied” with the framework of the proposal.
Three key elements in the new ceasefire plan:
According to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, the latest ceasefire proposal is based on three main components:
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Withdrawal of Israeli forces - The plan envisages a return to the positions occupied before the failure of the previous ceasefire on March 2, including a withdrawal from the so-called Philadelphia Corridor.
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Humanitarian aid - The UN mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid is envisaged to be restored in order to ensure continuous and coordinated access. There is no mention of the US-Israeli Gaza Relief Fund, suggesting that the mechanism will be run entirely by the UN.
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Continuing negotiations - The new plan includes a commitment to continuing dialogue on a longer-term ceasefire and a possible end to the war, even if a final agreement is not reached by the start of the temporary ceasefire.