Hamas Wants US Guarantees on Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

Destruction in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks. (Twitter/@UNRWA)

JAKARTA - The Palestinian militant group Hamas wants written guarantees from the United States regarding a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, in order to agree to a ceasefire proposal backed by Washington, two Egyptian security sources said.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators said Hamas had responded to a phased ceasefire plan to end the eight-month war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group on Tuesday, without providing details.

The Egyptian sources and a third source familiar with the talks said Hamas was concerned that the current proposal did not provide explicit guarantees for the transition from the first phase of the plan, which includes a six-week ceasefire and the release of several hostages, to the second phase, which includes a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The Egyptian sources said Hamas would only accept the plan if those guarantees were in place, and that Egypt had contacted the United States about the request.

"Hamas wants guarantees of an automatic transition from one phase to another in accordance with the agreements set by President Biden," the third source said, as reported by Reuters on June 13.

Hamas and Egyptian authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The proposal was made public in late May by US President Joe Biden. The plan includes the gradual release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces over two phases, as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners, with the reconstruction of war-torn areas and the return of the bodies of dead hostages in the third phase.

The United States has said Israel accepts the proposal, but Israel has not said so publicly.

In announcing the plan, President Biden said that if negotiations to transition to the second phase last longer than six weeks, the ceasefire would continue as the negotiations are extended.

Negotiators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar have been trying for months to broker a ceasefire and free the hostages.

The latest war in Gaza broke out after the Hamas-led militant group attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250 others, according to Israeli figures.

On the other hand, Gaza health authorities announced on Wednesday that the death toll of Palestinians since the war broke out has reached 37,202, and 84,932 others were injured, quoted from WAFA.