The Hamas leadership in Gaza is estimated to be ready for a six-week ceasefire, reports the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal.
Leaders of the terrorist organization Hamas are divided on how to approach the proposal for a ceasefire and the release of new hostages. This, in turn, stalls negotiations on a ceasefire, says the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) based on its sources.
Gaza leader of Hamas Yahya Sinwar would like a six-week temporary ceasefire. In this time, Hamas would be able to organize its forces, he estimates The Times of Israel Based on the WSJ story. In addition, Gaza would receive humanitarian aid.
An official who spoke to the WSJ said family members of Hamas leaders in Gaza are being killed — apparently referring to their possible willingness to agree to a cease-fire.
The Hamas leadership outside Gaza wants greater concessions from Israel and a permanent ceasefire. This is the position of the political leader of Hamas to Ismail Haniyeh the office said yesterday, Friday, that Haniyeh had spoken about the matter with another leader of the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad.
The two had agreed that a possible agreement on the handover of the hostages with Israel must include, for example, a complete cessation of fighting, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the reconstruction of Gaza.
The proposal for a temporary ceasefire and prisoner exchange formulated by the US, Israel, Qatar and Egypt also includes the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
A Hamas official said on Friday that the organization would respond to the ceasefire proposal “very soon”. It has been reported that the organization initially reacted positively to the proposal.
Yesterday, Friday, Hamas demanded that Israel release By Marwan Barghout, who are leaders of Fatah, Hamas’s political rival. Barghouti has been imprisoned for more than twenty years.
More than a hundred hostages
Hamas released more than a hundred hostages during a week-long ceasefire in November. According to Israel, there are still 132 hostages in Gaza. At least 27 of them are believed to have died.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry said yesterday that at least 27,131 Palestinians have been killed and 66,287 injured as a result of Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip over the past four months.
Source: AP, AFP