Hamas denies ‘backing off’ from Gaza ceasefire talks

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Hamas has rejected President Joe Biden’s declare that it’s “backing off” from a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, whereas insisting that the US is yielding to Israel’s pursuits in crunch negotiations.

An announcement from the Palestinian militant group on Tuesday stopped in need of outright rejection of a compromise proposal drawn up by mediators, however underlined the daunting challenges that remained to safe a deal to finish the battle in Gaza.

Biden’s chief diplomat Antony Blinken declared on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had supported a so-called bridging textual content, which aimed to resolve excellent factors of dispute between the 2 sides.

Folks aware of the most recent talks mentioned that they had centered on the query of Israel’s presence on the border between Egypt and Gaza, generally known as the Philadelphi hall, which has emerged as one of many major sticking factors.

However Biden in a while Monday mentioned that whereas a possible deal — which the US and Arab states see as one of the simplest ways of avoiding a regional battle within the Center East — was “nonetheless in play”, he had been informed “Hamas is now backing off”.

Hamas mentioned on Tuesday it was “astonished” by Biden’s feedback and accused the US, which together with Qatar and Egypt has been mediating the months-long ceasefire talks, of being biased in the direction of Israel.

“[Biden’s remarks] don’t mirror the true place of the motion, which is eager to achieve a cessation of aggression,” Hamas mentioned.

The US final week put ahead the bridging proposal, primarily based on a three-stage ceasefire plan set out by Biden in Could, aimed toward overcoming the gaps that stay between Israel and Hamas over the phrases of any deal.

Biden’s unique three-stage plan specified that Israel would withdraw from the populated areas of Gaza within the first section, and utterly within the second section.

However Netanyahu has in current weeks repeatedly insisted that Israeli forces stay within the Philadelphi hall — a requirement rejected by Hamas, which has known as the bridging proposal a “coup” towards phrases it had beforehand agreed.

A diplomat briefed on the talks mentioned the bridging proposal included a diminished Israeli presence within the hall however that key particulars remained to be finalised.

“It’s not clear what the timeframe is for the presence or what diminished presence means and whether or not they proceed to regulate exit and entry by means of [the] Rafah [border crossing],” the diplomat mentioned.

One other level of rivalry is the phrases below which Israel would free Palestinian prisoners in alternate for the discharge of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas in its lethal October 7 assault on the Jewish state.

The diplomat mentioned Netanyahu was demanding that Israel be capable to veto numerous prisoners being freed, and needed some to be launched solely into exile.

Blinken was in Cairo on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officers, together with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. He is because of go to Doha this week.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israel’s navy confirmed it had retrieved the our bodies of six hostages from Gaza who had been seized by Hamas on October 7.

The navy’s chief spokesman, Daniel Hagari, mentioned the circumstances of their deaths in captivity have been being investigated.

“The [military] is working each day and night time to assemble extra intelligence, create extra operational alternatives for hostage rescues,” he added.

“However we can not carry everybody again by means of rescue operations alone, due to this fact we’re engaged on all efforts.”