Israel suggested the temporary extension of the break of fire in Gaza for Ramadan and Passover Hall, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Around midnight on Saturday while the initial phase of the tribute expired.
It seemed to be an effort of the Israeli government to set up its introductory negotiating position, because IT and Hamas struggled to move from the first phase of a submissive fire to the second, a comprehensive phase that the contract was initially sought.
The Israeli announcement was followed by a cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and was attended by Israeli Minister of Defense, High Defense officials and negotiating team, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
But there is still a lot of uncertainty about what will happen in Gaza. Earlier on Saturday, Hamas spokesman told Al-Araby TV that the militant group had rejected Israel’s framework, Said Reuters.
Both Israel and Hamas have a reason to avoid another circle of fighting for at least for now. Hamas wants to give his forces the opportunity to recover, while Israel wants to bring home the remaining hostages. But The odds for a comprehensive agreement look distant.
And Hamas is unlikely to accept Israel’s offer without further negotiations, to Aaron David Miller, Former analyst and negotiator of the Middle East State Department, who is now an older associate at Carnegie for International Peace. The proposal, he said, is “allows the Israelites to return hostages without giving reciprocal obligations.”
According to Israel’s proposal, which attributed to the US envoy of the region, Steve Witkoff, half of the remaining hostages in Gaza will be released on the first day of the agreement.
If a permanent truce would be achieved at the end of temporary extension, the rest of the hostages would then return.
Ramadan concludes at the end of March, while Pasha lasts until April 20, which would give Israel and Hamas about seven weeks on this proposal to reach a comprehensive agreement.
“Hamas will not return all the hostages until Ironclad guarantees that the Israelis will withdraw their forces and officially declare and adhere to the end of the war,” said Mr. Miller. “No one will give Hamas that guarantee,” he added.
Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the agreed agreement, which was established in the last days of the biden administration. Phase 1 of that agreement, which ended on March 1, enabled the truce in six weeks to negotiate the conditions for the end of the war.
The terms of the agreement included the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Over the last weekend, Israel delayed hundreds of prisoners releasing in protest because of Hamas who paradhed Israeli hostage in public glasses before handing over them.
Negotiations between Hamas and Israel that were supposed to be completed by this weekend have not yet started seriously, although the officials of each party visited Cairo, the Egyptian capital, to discuss the following steps. Mr Netanyahu said Israel was ready to continue the fight if Hamas did not voluntarily disarm.
Hamas avoided direct calls to the continuation of hostilities, although the group refused to surrender.
