The Israeli government said on Sunday that it supports the proposal to extend the first phase of ceasefire in Gaza to Ramadan and Jewish festival ‘Passover’. Hamas, however, has insisted on interacting on the second phase of the ceasefire.
The statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came a few minutes after the first phase ceasefire ended. Negotiations have begun for the second phase of ceasefire that aims to end the war and leave all the remaining living people held hostage in Gaza.
The statement has given new information about this, which Israel has described the American proposal. It states “Passover or ceasefire will be carried forward by 20 April. On the first day, half hostages, whether alive or dead, will be released. If a permanent ceasefire is agreed, the rest will be released. ”
The statement said that the proposal was placed because American envoy Steve Witchoff “realized that there was no possibility of agreed between the sides to end the war at this level, and there is a longer need to negotiate a permanent ceasefire.”
There is no immediate comment from Hamas. Hamas rejected the Israeli proposal to extend the first phase of the first ceasefire for 42 days. A group member had said on condition of anonymity that doing so is against the terms of the conflict stop agreement.
Israeli officials and mediated Qatar, Egypt and America officials have been involved in the conversation to start the second phase of the ceasefire in Cairo. But Basam Naeem, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told the ‘Associated Press’ that there was no progress in the conversation and on Friday, Israeli negotiaters returned home. Hamas did not join it, but through the intermediaries of Egypt and Qatar, it was told to its position.
According to the terms of the ceasefire agreement, the fight should not be resumed until the second phase talks continue. Israel’s new statement said that if he feels that the dialogue is ineffective then he can resume the fight. It also mentions Hamas refusing to accept the proposal for expansion of the first phase.
