The Palestinian group Hamas submitted its response to a cease-fire proposal supported by the United States, but a leading official of the group said that the proposed agreement offered “no guarantee to end the war”.
Addressing Tel Aviv Tribune on Saturday, Basem Naim said that Hamas had always “responded positively” to the last proposal relayed by the Special American Enval, Steve Witkoff, despite the Palestinian group saying that the proposal was different from the one she had agreed with Witkoff a week earlier.
“A week ago, we agree with Mr. Witkoff on a proposal, and we said:” It is acceptable, we can consider this as a negotiation document “,” said Naim. “He went to the other party, to the Israelis, to get their response. Instead of having an answer to our proposal, he brought us a new proposal … which had nothing to do with what we agreed. ”
In a statement published earlier on Saturday, Hamas said that it had submitted an answer to Witkoff and that the proposal “aims to make a permanent cease-fire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and ensure the Flow of Aid” to the Palestinians in Gaza.
Hamas added that 10 living Israeli captives would be released as part of the agreement, as well as the bodies of 18 dead Israelis, in exchange for a “agreed number of Palestinian prisoners”.
Witkoff described the “totally unacceptable” Hamas response.
“Hamas should accept the proposal for a framework that we have presented as a basis for proximity talks, which we can start immediately the coming week,” said the envoy in an article on social networks. “This is the only way we can conclude a 60-day ceasefire agreement in the coming days when half of living hostages and half of those who died will come back home in their families, and in which we can have the proximity of substantial negotiations in good faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Hamas ‘response, “as Witkoff said, Hamas’ response is unacceptable and makes the situation go back. Israel will continue his action for the return of our hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
Israel has now killed more than 54,000 Palestinians since October 2023, with the famine looming through Gaza after weeks of Israeli blockade, and only a small flow of help since Israel allowed him to resume in mid-May.
Famine
In the hope of a permanent truce that fades once again, the level of hunger and despair inside Gaza grows, Israel allowing only a net of humanitarian aid in the band after having imposed a total blockage for more than two months. The UN warned on Friday that the population of 2.3 million Gaza is now risky in famine. It came after he said that in mid-May one of the Palestinians in five, there is famine.
The World Food Program (WFP), which has enough food ready near the borders of Gaza to feed the entire population of the besieged territory for two months, has renewed its call to an immediate cease-fire as the only way to bring food to the hungry Palestinians.
The United Nations food agency said in a statement that it had brought 77 trucks loaded with flour in Gaza overnight and early on Friday, but they were arrested by people trying to feed their hungry families.
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the United States and Israeli, continues its own controversial aid distribution, which, according to other aid groups, could violate humanitarian principles and the desperately necessary food delivery. The Gaza government’s media office said this week that at least 10 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces when he was trying to get help.
“We went to this new area and came out empty-handed,” said Layla Al-Masri, a resident about a new GHF distribution point. “What they say about their desire to feed the inhabitants of Gaza are lies. They nourish neither people nor give them nothing to drink.”
Another displaced Palestinian, Abdel Qader Rabie, said that people from all over the besieged territory had nothing more to feed their families. “There is no flour, no food, no bread. We have nothing at home,” he said.
Rabie said that every time he tries to get a GHF help box, he is invaded by hundreds of other people trying to get it. “If you are strong, you get help. If you are not, you leave your hands empty,” added Rabie.
There are also other risks. Families said people have disappeared after reaching GHF distribution points.
“One of these cases is a man in the Al -Mughari family – the family calls on the ICRC, OCHA, the civil defense teams, to get it in this area – very close to the Corridor of Netzarim (in the center of Gaza),” said Hind Khoudary, reporting Deir El -Balah, Central Gaza. Israeli authorities have rejected the accusation, added Khoudary.
Bombing and forced displacement
The Israeli army continues its attacks on Gaza, the spokesman for the Civil Defense of the territory saying that around 60 houses had been bombed in the last 48 hours in Gaza City and Northern Gaza.
On Saturday, there were also reports from Gaza everywhere in Israeli bombings killing at least 20 Palestinians. More than 3,900 Palestinians have been killed since Israel unilaterally broke a ceasefire in March and resumed its devastation from Gaza, despite an increasing international conviction.
Since the early hours of Friday, the Israeli army also ordered “all residents” in the south of Khan Younis, Bani Suheila and Abasan to evacuate immediately after declaring that rockets were dismissed earlier. “The army (army) will attack any area used as a launch ramp for a terrorist activity,” said military spokesman Avichay Adraee in a statement. The South Gaza area “has been warned several times in the past and has been appointed a dangerous combat zone,” he added.
According to the UN, nearly 200,000 people have been moved in only the past two weeks, with displacement orders now covering all of the most north and the most southern governors of Gaza, as well as the eastern parts of each of the three governors between the two.
