Hamas Affirms Response To Positive Ceasefire Proposal And Opens Opportunities For Achievement Of Agreement

Israeli military land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Palestinian militant group Hamas reiterated their response to the ceasefire proposal well and paved the way for an agreement to be reached.

Izzat al-Rishq, a member of the political bureau Hamas, said Hamas and Palestinian factions had responded positively and seriously to the Israeli ceasefire proposal, opening up opportunities for an agreement to be reached.

Instead, he accused the Israeli media of sedition and sought to avoid the obligations of the agreement.

"Hamas' response and Palestinian factions to the ceasefire proposal are responsible, serious and positive. The response is consistent with the demands of the people and our resistance and paved the way for an agreement," he said.

"The results of Israeli media on Hamas' response are an indication of efforts to avoid the obligation of the agreement," said al-Rishq.

As previously reported, an Israeli official said on Tuesday the country had received Hamas' answer from mediators, saying the militant group "changed all the main and most meaningful parameters," as quoted by Reuters.

Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hamas "had rejected the proposed release of hostages proposed by President Biden."

Meanwhile, Hamas officials, who declined to be named, told Reuters the response reaffirmed its stance that a ceasefire should lead to a permanent end of hostilities in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the rebuilding of Palestinian enclaves and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

"We reiterated our previous stance. I believe there is no big gap. The ball is now in the Israeli courtyard," he said.

It is known that the US plan broadly regulates the ceasefire and the gradual release of Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, which ultimately leads to a permanent end to the war.

This will be a three-phase plan that begins with an initial six-week ceasefire with Israel's military withdrawal from a population of Gaza and the temporary release of several "permanent end to hostilities" hostage negotiated through mediators.