Hamas is studying a framework proposal presented in Paris by Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt for a truce and an exchange of prisoners in Gaza.
The Palestinian group has not yet officially commented on the proposal, drawn up several days ago in the French capital following brokered negotiations. US President Joe Biden has suggested a halt to fighting could come within a week, but for now the conflict, which has left nearly 30,000 dead in the enclave, persists, with fighting continuing and a large part of the 2.3 million inhabitants suffering from hunger.
The proposal envisages a pause in hostilities that could extend for six weeks, Tel Aviv Tribune Arabic reported citing informed sources. This would allow the release of 40 Israeli captives held by Hamas in exchange for 400 Palestinians currently held in Israeli prisons.
“This includes women, children, elderly men and those who may suffer from health problems. This would involve repositioning the Israeli military to allow more people to move freely across the Gaza Strip,” said Tel Aviv Tribune’s Willem Marx, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem.
“This would involve stopping aerial reconnaissance by the Israeli army for up to eight hours a day. This is something we saw in the last round of prisoner exchanges (in November), where drones in particular were moved away from areas where prisoners could be released,” he said, adding that a significant increase in the flow of aid to Gaza was also part of the deal. .
The Reuters news agency cited a source as saying Gaza’s hospitals and bakeries would be repaired and up to 500 aid trucks would be allowed into the enclave each day under a deal.
The news agency also reported that the framework proposes the gradual return of all displaced Palestinian civilians – with the exception of men of military age – to the northern Gaza Strip, and the repositioning of Israeli forces away from the densely populated areas of the enclave.
“Large gaps”
Israeli and Hamas delegations are said to be in the Qatari capital, Doha, for further, but separate, negotiations.
Mediators hoped to reach an agreement before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is scheduled to begin on March 10.
“Ramadan is approaching and the Israelis have agreed that they will not participate in activities during Ramadan as well, to give us time to get all the hostages out,” Biden said in remarks broadcast on US television on Tuesday.
Hamas has yet to comment officially, but sources reportedly suggested to Reuters that Biden’s comments on stopping fighting were “premature” and that there were “still large gaps that need to be filled.”
Israeli media have expressed some pessimism about the possibility of a deal, Tel Aviv Tribune’s Willem Marx reports from occupied East Jerusalem.
“They are saying that what Israeli officials are hearing here is that Hamas is not satisfied with certain conditions,” he said. “One of the sticking points might be the idea that Israel repeatedly says that even if there is a ceasefire, they will advance to Rafah. But Hamas would like it to be a permanent ceasefire, and this could constitute a fundamental contradiction in the search for a long-term solution.
“The details of the agreement,” summarizes Marx, “are still quite nebulous. »
Hunger
The need for a deal to accelerate humanitarian aid is becoming more urgent as hunger warnings mount.
Samantha Power, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said Monday that Gaza needs more than 500 aid trucks a day, but has only received about 85 last week, despite warnings from the United Nations of “catastrophic consequences.”
Hamas said the same day that the failure to deliver aid to Gaza “is a shame for humanity that history will not erase” and criticized the Biden administration for facilitating what the U.N. called it a “man-made disaster”.
A month after the International Court of Justice’s emergency ruling calling on Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, Hamas said the world “witnesses the escalation of crimes and violations of the occupation” .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that even if a deal is reached, it would only serve to delay an imminent ground invasion of Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city bordering Egypt, where refugees are sheltering 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom have been displaced.
Hostilities continued on Tuesday. Israeli forces claimed to have killed dozens of Hamas fighters in Gaza City by discovering weapons manufacturing facilities and rocket launchers in tunnels, as well as during fighting in central areas of the enclave.
Alongside its efforts to reach agreement on the Paris proposals, the United States is trying to pass a UN resolution expressing support for diplomatic efforts to “urgently” reach a “cease and desist” agreement. temporary fire,” according to a copy seen by Tel Aviv Tribune’s Rami Ayari.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in an interview Monday that she believed the U.S. “alternative resolution” was “more relevant to supporting efforts on the ground to bring us to this ceasefire.” temporary fire.
The proposed new text comes after the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution presented by Algeria last week. Thomas-Greenfield claimed at the time that the Algerian resolution could interfere with ongoing truce talks.
