Hamas said yesterday it was studying the proposal it received from mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza, adding it will submit its response “as soon as possible”, Reuters reported.
Egypt earlier received an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in the enclave, the state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV cited sources as saying yesterday, after talks ended in Cairo without a breakthrough.
Cairo, a key mediator in the Gaza ceasefire talks, delivered the proposal to Hamas and is awaiting the group’s response, the cited sources said.
Earlier, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said that the proposal did not meet the Palestinian group’s demand that Israel commit to a complete halt of hostilities.
In the proposal, Israel also for the first time called for the disarmament of Hamas in the next phase of negotiations, which the group will not agree to, Abu Zuhri said.”Handing over the resistance’s weapons is a million red lines and is not subject to consideration, let alone discussion”, Abu Zuhri said.
Israel did not immediately comment on the reported proposal.
On 18 March, Israel violated the ceasefire that came into effect on 19 January and returned to bombing the Gaza Strip, killing over 1,500 Palestinians.
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