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Middle East conflict

Hamas may respond to proposal on Gaza in coming hours — TV

The radicals were still "examining the proposal, handed over by the mediators", according to Al Qahera Al Ekhbariya

CAIRO, April 16. /TASS/. Palestine’s radical movement Hamas may officially respond to Israel’s ceasefire proposal within the next few hours, Egypt’s Al Qahera Al Ekhbariya television reported.

The channel’s sources said the radicals were still "examining the proposal, handed over by the mediators."

On Tuesday, Hamas said it saw no "real guarantees" in Israel’s proposal. However, the statement did not say explicitly that the proposal was rejected.

The Asharq News television channel said on Tuesday that Hamas will respond to Israel’s new Gaza ceasefire proposal within two days. According to the report, Hamas warns that it "will not accept any initiative or solution that does not include a clause on a complete and comprehensive ceasefire [in Gaza]."

The Hamas-affiliated Maan agency reported on Monday that as part of the revised deal, Israel has proposed to resume the ceasefire in the enclave in exchange for the release of ten hostages, including Israeli-American citizen Edan Alexander. Under the Israeli initiative, it will withdraw its troops from areas of the Gaza Strip captured during the operation that was launched in mid-March during the 45-day ceasefire. Apart from that, it will open several checkpoints on the border with Gaza to ensure humanitarian deliveries to the enclave.

If the deal is ultimately made, Hamas may release 11 living hostages and hand over the bodies of 16 deceased hostages, the agency said, citing an official from Egypt, who is acting as a mediator. According to the official, this is quite likely "if the ceasefire period is extended to 70 days to make it possible to keep the situation in the enclave under control through the end of the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha)," which starts in early June this year. Moreover, the extended ceasefire period will give time to engage in indirect talks on the third phase of the Hamas-Israeli agreement on a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

On April 14, Hamas confirmed that it received the draft ceasefire agreement. According to the Al Hadath television channel, Hamas’ disarmament is one of the key conditions put forward by the Israeli side.

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Palestine Israel

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