The Palestinian movement Hamas confirmed that it has given the mediators its response to their latest proposal to continue the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, a post on the radicals' Telegram channel revealed.
The message did not provide any other details.
For its part, the Al-Hadath TV channel claimed, citing its sources, that the response presented by Hamas was positive, also without providing additional information.
Earlier, the TV channel stated that the document provided to the mediators contained a request for “withdrawal of Israeli troops 1.2 km from the corridor Philadelphia" in southern Gaza. In addition, Hamas insists that at least "part of the humanitarian aid brought to the enclave should be delivered there through the UN and its agencies" and not distributed with the participation of the Humanitarian Fund for Gaza.
On Wednesday, Sky News Arabia reported that representatives of Egypt and Qatar, who are mediating in indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, have asked the radicals to give a more constructive response to the proposals presented for settling the situation in the Gaza Strip. The channel claims that the movement's response mainly contains comments on the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave, a map for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave, and the provision of guarantees for a ceasefire in Gaza.
As part of the latest initiative, during the agreed 60-day ceasefire, the radicals will hand over to the Israeli side 10 live hostages and the bodies of 18 prisoners killed in Gaza. During the same ceasefire period, Israel has pledged to release 150 Palestinians serving long sentences from prison, as well as 1,100 Arabs arrested in the Gaza Strip since the start of Israel's military operation in the enclave in October 2023. In addition, under a possible agreement, the volume of humanitarian aid delivered to the enclave's residents will be significantly increased.
As reported by the Hamas-affiliated Maan news agency, the Gaza agreement will be signed and announced this week or at the latest early next week. The agency does not rule out that the ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian sector could be announced "next Sunday, and possibly on Friday, if all the details are finally agreed upon."