Hamas rejects Israel's week-long truce
Hamas rejects Israel's week-long truce (photo: Getty Images)
The Palestinian radical movement Hamas has rejected Israel's proposal to halt hostilities for one week in exchange for the release of 40 hostages, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The militant command refuses to discuss the release of hostages from Israel until the ceasefire agreement comes into force. The group's position was presented by the head of Hamas' political wing, Ismail Haniyeh, in a conversation with Egyptian intelligence. He arrived in Cairo to negotiate a ceasefire and increase the supply of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The newspaper notes that this is not a failure in the negotiations, but an attempt by Hamas to get more concessions from Tel Aviv. In particular, the Palestinian movement is ready to discuss the return of Israeli hostages only after a ceasefire.
In addition, the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad demands that Israel release all members of the movement from its prisons in exchange for more than 100 hostages. Their number reaches several thousand people.
Israel's war with Hamas
On October 7, militants of the Palestinian Hamas movement invaded Israel. They killed, kidnapped, and tortured military and civilians, and fired rockets at the country's cities. In response, Tel Aviv announced the launch of the Iron Swords ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
At the end of November, Israel signed a ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas.
The ceasefire lasted until December 1 and was broken due to Hamas' shelling of Israeli territory.
On December 20, Israel offered the Palestinians a one-week truce. Tel Aviv proposes to release 40 people, including women and children, as well as elderly men in need of urgent medical care.
