Gaza: Senior Hamas leader Usama Hamdan responded in Beirut, Lebanon that a temporary ceasefire is not acceptable and that the Israeli army should end the war and completely withdraw from Gaza. Hamas’s response comes as talks on a ceasefire brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US continue.
The mediation talks proposed a two-month ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners in phases. Mediator countries also stated that Israel agreed to this. The Israeli government, facing intense internal pressure to release the hostages, has offered to release 100 Palestinians in exchange for one hostage.
However, Hamas believes that if the hostages are freed, Israel will launch another brutal attack and detain the Palestinians. Therefore, their position is that they will only yield to a permanent ceasefire backed by an international agreement. Hamas had previously stated that it was studying the ceasefire proposals.
Meanwhile, it is reported that Israel is preparing to intensify its ground offensive in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. Many Palestinians sought refuge in this area when the bombardment intensified in other areas. The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the war has reached 27,131. 66,287 people were injured. 25 Palestinians were detained in the West Bank on Thursday night. Al Jazeera also reported that Muslims were prevented from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday