There is still no ceasefire in sight in the Middle East. According to Qatar, there are positive signals from Hamas regarding the latest mediation proposal. There is “still a lot of work to do,” says US Secretary of State Blinken. Israel has meanwhile declared more hostages dead.
International efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip continue. According to mediator Qatar, the terrorist organization Hamas responded positively to the current proposal for a ceasefire, but set some conditions. “We have received a positive response from Hamas, it has several reservations but is generally positive,” Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Doha.
Blinken confirmed that mediators had received Hamas’s response. He will inform the Israeli leadership about this during his upcoming visit. “There is still much work to be done, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and indeed essential,” Blinken continued.
Israel is examining Hamas’s response
Hamas itself said it and its allies had dealt with the mediation proposal “in a positive spirit.” However, the agreement must lead to a complete and comprehensive ceasefire, an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the reconstruction of the war-torn coastal area and the full release of Palestinian prisoners.
An initial statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said: “Hamas’ response has been transmitted to Mossad through the Qatari intermediary. The details will be thoroughly examined by government officials involved in the negotiations.” Israel had previously ruled out a permanent ceasefire.
Biden sees “some movement”
US President Joe Biden commented on the development in Washington with the words: “There is some movement.” There was a reaction from Hamas, but it seemed to be “a little exaggerated.” “I would say that the negotiations are ongoing,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council. “We are not yet at a point where we can make a final decision.”
Qatar, Egypt and the USA have been making intensive efforts for several weeks to bring about a ceasefire and secure the release of more than 130 Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
According to media reports, the mediators’ proposal is a multi-stage framework agreement that provides for a longer ceasefire, but leaves several important details open. In the first phase, Hamas is expected to release three dozen female, elderly male and injured hostages. During the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas should then continue to negotiate through mediators in order to achieve the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
In the only agreement of its kind to date, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners, all women and young people, in November in return for 105 Hamas hostages, including 14 German citizens.
31 more hostages declared dead
More of the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip have now been declared dead. “We have informed 31 families that their loved ones taken hostage are no longer alive and their deaths have been confirmed,” Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said. “We continue to work to create the conditions to bring all hostages home.”
The New York Times had previously reported, citing a confidential Israeli intelligence document, that at least 30 hostages had died in or since the Hamas attack on October 7th. There are also unconfirmed indications of the deaths of at least 20 other hostages. According to the report, some of the hostages were killed during the attack on Israeli territory. Their bodies were then taken to the Gaza Strip.
Their deaths were not confirmed at the time, which is why they were counted as hostages. Others died from their injuries in the Gaza Strip or were killed by Hamas fighters. The New York Times count also includes two Israeli soldiers who were killed in 2014 and whose bodies were taken to the Gaza Strip.