Hamas has accepted a proposal for a ceasefire advanced by the United States for Gaza, according to the sources of Tel Aviv Tribune, but an American official rejected the complaint and said that the discussed agreement was “unacceptable” and “disappointing”.
Israeli officials also denied that the proposal came from the United States, saying on Monday that no Israeli government could accept it, according to the reuters news agency.
The contradictory reports came while Israeli forces maintained their relentless bombing of hungry Palestinians in Gaza and continued to severely restrict the entrance to the aid to the besieged enclave.
Medical sources indicate that at least 81 people, many children, were killed on Monday during attacks in Israel.
The sources of Tel Aviv Tribune said that Hamas and the American Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff accepted the project agreement at a meeting of the Qatari capital, Doha. They said he included a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living captives held in Gaza, on two stages.
President Donald Trump would guarantee the terms of the agreement and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. The agreement would also allow the entry of humanitarian aid, without conditions, from the first day, according to sources.
Witkoff, however, rejected the idea that it was his proposal that Hamas had accepted, telling Reuters that what he had seen was “completely unacceptable”.
An American source close to Witkoff also told Tel Aviv Tribune that Hamas’ claims were “inaccurate” and that the Palestinian group offered was “disappointing”.
New red lines
Kimberly Halkett, from Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from Washington, DC, cited the manager saying that the proposal that the United States has put on the table is only a “temporary ceasefire agreement” with Israel.
“What would do is allow half of the living captives, as well as half of the deceased, to return,” she said.
“In turn, the White House believes that this would lead to a diplomatic path of discussions which could lead to a permanent ceasefire. And this is the agreement that the source says that Tel Aviv Tribune is what Hamas should take,” she added.
There was no immediate comments from Hamas.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a message recorded on social networks, promising to bring back the 58 Israeli captives remaining in Gaza, of which around twenty would still be alive.
“If we do not realize it today, we will do it tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow. We do not give up,” said Netanyahu.
“We intend to bring them all, the living and the dead,” he added.
The Israeli chief made no mention of the proposed agreement.
Hamdah Salhut of Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from the Jordanian capital, Amman, said that Netanyahu has long rejected Hamas calls to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and has committed to continuing the war until the “total victory” was obtained against the Palestinian group.
“The Israeli Prime Minister even added new red lines for what would bring him an end of war,” said Salhut.
“This includes the return of Israeli captives, the demilitarization of Hamas (and) the exile of military and political leaders. And, also, the implementation of Trump’s plan for Gaza. This is a plan that was largely condemned as ethnic cleaning, and the White House even recovered it several months ago, “she said.
“But Netanyahu says that is what he wants if there is an end of war.”
For its part, Hamas said it was willing to release the remaining captives in exchange for a permanent ceasefire. He also said that he was willing to yield control of the Gaza Strip to an interim government, as proposed in a plan of $ 53 billion supported by the Arab League for the reconstruction of the enclave.
The group, however, opposed any movement of the Palestinians and refused to lay down their arms or exile its leaders in Gaza, describing these last requirements as a “red line” as long as the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory continues.
‘All eyes on doha’
In Gaza, the Palestinians said they were desperate that any agreement ended the bombardment and the blockade of Israel, which left the whole population of the enclave on the edge of the famine.
“All the Palestinian eyes are on doha,” said Hind Khoudary of Tel Aviv Tribune de Deir El-Balah in the center of Gaza.
“Since Israel returned to war, the Palestinians have been attacked in their homes, their schools, their makeshift tents and also in so -called safe humanitarian areas … They also say that they are not even able to obtain a meal for their families,” said Khoudary.
“The Palestinians here say he has no more options, and they are trying to survive the Israeli air strikes and the mass famine imposed on them.”
Israel resumed war against Gaza on March 18, two weeks after imposing a total blockade on the enclave.
Gaza’s health authorities say that at least 3,822 Palestinians were killed in the renewed offensive of Israel, and the overall confirmed assessment has now reached 53,977. Some 122,966 people were injured.
Israel released his blockade last week, saying that he had let in some 170 aid trucks in Gaza, but humanitarian officials say they are far from the amount necessary to feed the two million people in the enclave after 11 weeks of a total seat.