Qatar, Egypt warn US of ‘little chance’ for Hamas to accept its new proposal: Israeli media

JERUSALEM

Qatar and Egypt warned the US that there is “little chance” for the Palestinian group Hamas to accept its latest proposal for a Gaza cease-fire, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

Gaza cease-fire talks in Qatar concluded on Friday with a new “proposal that narrows the gaps” between Israel and Hamas, claiming that it is consistent with the principles supported by US President Joe Biden on May 31, while Hamas rejected it, saying it aligns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new conditions.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN quoted informed sources as saying that in the past few days, the Qatari and Egyptian mediators warned Washington that there is little chance for Hamas to accept it.

The new proposal came out under the US proposal because the mediators did not want to be a part of it, despite taking part in Friday’s announcement following the talks, it added.

Following the conclusion of the Doha talks on Friday, Hamas said the newly announced “proposal meets Netanyahu’s conditions and aligns with them, particularly his refusal of a permanent cease-fire, (of) a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and his insistence on continuing the occupation of the Netzarim Junction, the Rafah crossing, and the Philadelphi Corridor,” Hamas said in a statement.

“He (Netanyahu) also set new conditions in the hostage swap file and retracted from other terms, which obstructs the completion of the deal,” Hamas added.

The group reiterated its commitment to what it agreed on in July based on Biden’s announcement in May and the UN Security Council resolution in June.

For months, the US, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’s demands to stop the war.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The conflict has resulted in over 40,170 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and more than 92,740 injuries, according to local health authorities.

The ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara

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