Israel Instructs Continue To Discuss Ceasefire In Gaza

Palestinian Refugees In Gaza (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Israeli government ordered a negotiating team to continue ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and a hostage exchange agreement, according to local media on Thursday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the War Cabinet ordered a negotiating team "to continue negotiations that return the hostages."

Major General Nitzan Alon, one of the negotiators, submitted the latest plans at a meeting of the War Cabinet after Netanyahu rejected the previous proposal on Saturday, according to a report by the Israeli public broadcaster, KAN.

A source told KAN that the negotiating team didn't get everything they asked for "but at least progress."

The new proposal includes, compromises on disputes with Hamas, but remains with Israel's increasingly stiff stance on other issues that were not approved by both sides, the KAN said, without providing further details.

Talks revolved around the format of the release of hostages in stages in exchange for the interim ceasefire and the release of at least a few hundred Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel, the television station said.

The biggest stumbling block was Hamas' insistence that Israel end the war, the station added.

On May 6, Hamas accepted the proposed ceasefire drawn up by Egypt and Qatar. However, Israel said the ceasefire did not meet the main request and decided to launch a ground attack on the Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Hamas, believed to have detained 130 Israeli hostages, demanded an end to Israel's attack on Gaza in exchange for hostages.