Mediators have called on Israel and Hamas to finalise a ceasefire and hostage release deal proposed by US President Joe Biden, which they say would bring immediate relief to the people in Gaza and the hostages and their families.
Israel has stated there will be no formal end to the conflict as long as Hamas remains in power, raising questions about the timing and interpretation of the truce offer, which the Palestinian faction has tentatively welcomed.
On Friday, Biden announced that Israel had proposed an initial six-week ceasefire with a partial military withdrawal and the release of some hostages. At the same time, negotiations for a permanent end to hostilities are mediated.
The US, Egypt, and Qatar have been working for months to mediate an end to the war, but a deal has proven elusive. Biden’s proposal aims to create a better future in Gaza without Hamas in power, though he did not elaborate on how this would be achieved. Hamas has shown no signs of stepping aside or disarming voluntarily.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that any notion of a permanent ceasefire before the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities is “a non-starter.” Two coalition members have threatened to leave the government if Netanyahu proceeds with a deal that ends the war without destroying Hamas.
Hamas expressed readiness to engage positively but noted it had not yet received details of the proposal. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi emphasized that no agreement can be reached without a full troop withdrawal and a ceasefire.
Israel has been willing to suspend the war in exchange for hostages but insists it will resume efforts to eliminate the Hamas threat. Hamas demands concrete Israeli moves to end the war, including a full troop withdrawal.
A senior Biden administration official suggested that future interpretations of Hamas’s role may depend on Egyptian and Qatari influence over the group. The official emphasized that the deal aims to prevent Hamas from regenerating its military capacity to threaten Israel.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas-led Palestinian fighters launched an assault into southern Israel from Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
In response, Israel’s ground and air campaign in Gaza has devastated the territory, caused widespread starvation, and led to the deaths of over 36,000 people, as reported by Hamas health authorities, who claim most of the victims are civilians.
More than 290 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the invasion of Gaza commenced.
Public support in Israel for the war is waning, with growing concerns for the hostages’ fate. Benny Gantz, a centrist ex-general in Netanyahu’s emergency coalition, has threatened to withdraw next week if a post-war plan for Gaza is not formulated with him. However, he expressed appreciation for Biden’s efforts and called for the Israeli war cabinet to convene “to decide the next steps.”
Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi indicated on Wednesday that the war could continue throughout 2024.
In the United States, Israel’s main ally, the extensive civilian suffering in Gaza has put pressure on Biden, who is seeking re-election in November. Biden urged Israel’s leadership to resist internal pressures to extend the war indefinitely.
Netanyahu is set to address both houses of Congress, making him the first foreign leader to do so four times. He intends to convey “the truth about our righteous war against those who seek our destruction.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has called on Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire and hostages deal, assuring that his party would support it even if ultranationalist factions within the coalition opposed. Lapid emphasized the importance of Biden’s speech and the need for Israel to accept the deal on the table, stating that it should be implemented.
