Hamas on Friday dismissed new conditions presented by the United States in a proposed ceasefire plan for Gaza, following two days of negotiations with Israeli officials in Qatar. The proposal, intended to end more than 10 months of conflict, was introduced amid escalating international pressure for a ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden expressed optimism, stating, "We are closer than we have ever been" to reaching an agreement. The push for a swift truce gained momentum after the July 31 assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, an attack attributed to Israel, which raised fears of a broader Middle East conflict.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been working to finalize a framework initially proposed by Biden in May. Despite ongoing talks, details of a truce and a hostage release deal remain unresolved. The mediators described the Doha talks as "serious and constructive" and unveiled a "bridging proposal" aimed at securing a rapid agreement at upcoming talks in Cairo.
Hamas rejected the proposal, citing "new conditions" imposed by Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the mediators to apply "pressure" on Hamas to accept the May 27 principles outlined by Biden.
An informed source revealed that Hamas opposed conditions including the presence of Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Egypt, Israel's veto rights over Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged for Israeli hostages, and the option for Israel to deport certain prisoners instead of returning them to Gaza.
Qatar's lead mediator, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, updated Iran's acting foreign minister on the talks, emphasizing the need for regional calm and de-escalation.
Diplomatic pressure on Israel has intensified, with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Sejourne arriving in Israel to discuss the situation. Lammy warned of a rising risk of conflict escalation and emphasized the urgency of a ceasefire.
In a related development, a violent attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank drew widespread condemnation. The Israeli military reported that settlers attacked the village of Jit, resulting in the death of a Palestinian man. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani and other international figures condemned the attack, with EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell promising to propose sanctions against those enabling settler violence.
The ongoing conflict has led to significant casualties, with over 1,200 people killed in Israel and more than 40,000 in Gaza, according to official figures. As ceasefire negotiations continue, violence persists, with recent air raids reported in Gaza.
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