Hamas decided not to respond or get involved with Israel’s counter-proposal to a ceasefire in Gaza, an employee told Reuters on Wednesday, stating that he is committed to the mediators’ plan.
Israel said on March 29 that he transmitted to mediators a counterproposal in total coordination with the US, after Hamas agreed with a proposal he received from the mediators Egypt and Qatar.
A copy obtained by Reuters on Wednesday showed that it was part of and would extend the ceasefire for another 50 days.
Negotiations for a second phase of ceasefire should end before the end of the 50-day period, according to the copy.
The proposal included the liberation of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old from the Israeli Army from New Jersey, the first day after the announcement of ceasefire.
Hamas would also release four Israeli hostages, with a hostage released every 10 days in exchange for the release of 250 Palestinians held in Israeli arrests and the release of 2,000 of those who were arrested after the Hamas attack on 7 October to Israel.
The proposal also involved the termination of Israeli military operations, opening the crossings to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip and reopening the Netzarim corridor to allow the entry of south to north and vice versa.
The Israeli military said on March 19 that their forces again extended their control to the center of the Netzarim corridor, which cuts the Gaza Strip.
The first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into force on 19 January after 15 months of war and involved the interruption of fighting, the release of some of the Israeli hostages maintained by Hamas and the liberation of some Palestinian prisoners.
However, Israel said on March 19 that his forces resumed land operations in downtown and southern Gaza. It also announced a large in Gaza on Wednesday, saying that large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to their safety zones, accompanied by the population.
The second phase of the three -phase agreement aims to focus on the release of the remaining hostages and the removal of the Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas says any proposals should allow the launch of the second phase, while Israel offered to expand the first phase of 42 days.
More than 50,000 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli offensive in Gaza, Palestinian officials say.
Israel began his offensive after thousands of Hamas -led men attacked communities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 as hostages, according to Israeli counts.
