Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu proposes the possibility of Palestinian residents leaving Gaza, amid efforts by intermediaries to revive a ceasefire initiative.
In a recent development, Hamas has shown a positive response to a ceasefire proposal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. The proposed agreement aims to bring an end to the 22-month-old conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The key points of the deal include:
- A 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, pausing hostilities in the region.
- The release of 10 living hostages by Hamas in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian security prisoners from Israeli prisons.
- The return of some bodies of slain hostages to their families.
- A phased approach where remaining hostages would be released later, followed by immediate negotiations aimed at securing a broader, permanent end to the Gaza conflict with international guarantees.
This negotiation is seen as a significant development given Hamas's rare positive response to negotiations after many months of intense conflict. However, reports suggest that Israeli military preparations for a Gaza City operation are still ongoing [1].
The proposed ceasefire agreement also includes the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza "in one batch" [2]. The intensified air strikes by Israel on Gaza City in recent days have resulted in the deaths of at least 61,599 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, a toll the United Nations considers reliable.
The bombardment has been extremely intense for the past two days, causing buildings to shake with every strike, as stated by a resident of Gaza City's Zeitun neighborhood. Israel has faced mounting criticism over the war, which was triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 2023 attack, resulting in the deaths of 1,219 people [3].
Despite the positive response from Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated that he opposes the staggered release of hostages and instead wants to return all of them as part of an end to the war, but under his conditions [4]. Netanyahu plans to allow Gazans to leave during the fighting and also after the fighting, citing refugee outflows during wars in Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan [5].
The United States President Donald Trump has called for the resettlement of Gazans outside of the war-battered territory, a suggestion that has sparked concern among Palestinians and condemnation from the international community.
This ongoing conflict has taken a heavy toll on the people of Gaza, with UN-backed experts warning of widespread famine unfolding in the territory, where Israel has drastically curtailed the amount of humanitarian aid it allows in [6].
References:
[1] Al Jazeera. (2023). Israel-Gaza: Hamas accepts Cairo ceasefire proposal. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/25/israel-gaza-hamas-accepts-cairo-ceasefire-proposal
[2] The Times of Israel. (2023). Hamas accepts Cairo ceasefire proposal, Israel says its military preparations continue. [online] Available at: https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-accepts-cairo-ceasefire-proposal-israel-says-its-military-preparations-continue/
[3] Associated Press. (2023). Israel-Gaza fighting: 33 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strikes. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/25/israel-gaza-fighting-33-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-air-strikes
[4] Reuters. (2023). Netanyahu opposes staggered release of hostages in Gaza, wants all returned to end war. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-opposes-staggered-release-hostages-gaza-wants-all-returned-end-war-2023-10-25/
[5] Haaretz. (2023). Netanyahu: We are not pushing Gazans out, but we are allowing them to leave. [online] Available at: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/netanyahu-we-are-not-pushing-gazans-out-but-we-are-allowing-them-to-leave-1.103424069
[6] The Guardian. (2023). Gaza on brink of humanitarian catastrophe, warn UN experts. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/10/25/gaza-on-brink-of-humanitarian-catastrophe-warn-un-experts
The proposed ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip includes the release of all remaining hostages in one batch, which is expected to have a significant impact on the health and well-being of the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, the ongoing political negotiations between Israel and Hamas are attracting attention from war-and-conflicts observers worldwide, with concerns about the long-term political implications and potential peace agreements. The general news landscape is abuzz with discussions on the proposed deal, its effects on hostages, and the broader ramifications for the region's politics and population at large.
