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Israel stepped up assaults on Monday within the southern metropolis of Rafah hours after Hamas mentioned it will settle for the phrases of a cease-fire plan drawn from a proposal by Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
The Israeli prime minister’s workplace mentioned that whereas the brand new proposal failed to fulfill Israel’s calls for, the nation would nonetheless ship a working-level delegation to talks in hopes of reaching a suitable deal. Qatar additionally mentioned that it will ship a delegation for the talks, in Cairo.
As Israeli forces carried out strikes in jap Rafah, the prime minister’s workplace mentioned that the battle cupboard had determined unanimously that Israel would proceed with its army actions within the metropolis to exert strain on Hamas. The determination, the workplace mentioned, sought to advance all of Israel’s battle goals, together with liberating hostages.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, mentioned in an interview with Al Jazeera that the proposal Hamas was keen to just accept included three phases, of 42 days every, and confused that its most important objective was a everlasting cease-fire.
Ismail Haniyeh, the pinnacle of Hamas’s political wing, first described Hamas’s new place in a put up on the group’s Telegram channel at 7:36 p.m. in Israel. His assertion got here hours after Israel had ordered folks in a part of Rafah, the southernmost metropolis in Gaza, to evacuate earlier than a promised offensive there, and a day after Hamas fired rockets close to the Kerem Shalom crossing within the border area between Israel and southern Gaza, killing 4 troopers.
Mr. Haniyeh mentioned he had instructed the Qatari prime minister and the chief of Egypt’s General Intelligence Service that Hamas had accepted “their proposal.” There was no speedy remark from Egypt.
Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, confirmed that Hamas had “issued a response” and that the United States was reviewing it with companions within the area.
Hamas negotiators had left Cairo on Sunday after talks hit an deadlock they usually failed to succeed in an settlement with mediators on Israel’s most up-to-date provide.
The most important stumbling block within the oblique negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt has been the size of the cease-fire. Hamas has demanded a everlasting cease-fire, which might in impact finish the seven-month battle, whereas Israel desires a brief halt in preventing that will permit for the change of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners.
Mr. al-Hayya, who has been main Hamas delegations at in-person talks in Cairo, mentioned the brand new provide additionally included an entire Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the return of displaced folks to their houses and a “actual and critical” swap of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
In its most up-to-date proposal, Israel made some concessions, together with agreeing to the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza and lowering the variety of hostages it will settle for being freed within the preliminary section of an settlement.
The Israeli army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, mentioned at a information briefing on Monday night: “We look at every response and reply in a really critical matter, and maximize each alternative within the negotiations to safe the discharge of the hostages as a core mission.” But he mentioned that on the similar time, Israeli forces would “proceed working” in Gaza.
The Israeli army ordered the evacuation of over 100,000 Palestinians from components of Rafah on Monday morning. Israeli leaders have vowed for months to invade the town to be able to root out Hamas forces there, prompting worldwide concern for the security of the 1.4 million folks sheltering there.
Michael Crowley and Aaron Boxerman contributed reporting.
