Israel said yesterday that the Gaza war would not end as long as Hamas retains power, raising questions of timing and interpretation over a truce offer that U.S. President Joe Biden has advanced and the Palestinian militants have cautiously welcomed.
Biden said on Friday that Israel had proposed a deal involving an initial six-week ceasefire with a partial Israeli military withdrawal and the release of some hostages while “a permanent end to hostilities” is negotiated through mediators.
The proposal, Biden said, also “creates a better ‘day after’ in Gaza without Hamas in power”. He did not elaborate on how that might be achieved. The Iranian-backed Islamist group has given no indication it might step aside or disarm voluntarily.
However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said yesterday any notion that Israel would agree a permanent ceasefire before “the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities” was “a non-starter”.
Hamas said on Friday it was ready to engage “positively and in a constructive manner”. But senior official Mahmoud Mardawi said in a Qatari television interview that it had not yet received the details of the proposal.
“No agreement can be reached before the demand for the withdrawal of the occupation army and a ceasefire is met,” he said. Hamas remains committed to Israel’s destruction.
The talks, mediated by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. backing, have stumbled for months over a clash in core positions. Israel has been willing only to suspend the war in exchange for hostages, saying it would then resume the campaign to eliminate the Hamas threat. Hamas wants any deal to entail concrete Israeli moves to end the war, like a full troop withdrawal. (Reuters)
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