Hamas issues ceasefire proposal, Israel calls demands 'unrealistic': Report
Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has reportedly submitted a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators and the United States (US) amid Israel's ongoing aggression. According to Reuters, the Hamas has proposed releasing Israeli hostages comprising women, children, the elderly, and the ill in exchange for freeing 700-1000 Palestinian prisoners. The Jewish nation has, however, dismissed the Hamas's truce proposal and labeled its demands as "unrealistic."
Why does this story matter?
The development comes amid Qatar-mediated talks between Israel and Hamas over a possible truce during Ramzan. The unrest in the Gaza Strip started last year after the terrorist group killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and took around 240 hostages during its October 7 cross-border attacks on Israel. The Jewish nation responded by launching a multi-pronged military operation in the strip, which has claimed the lives of over 31,000 Palestinians so far.
Hamas's Gaza truce demands
According to the latest proposal, the terror group has reportedly stated its willingness to finalize a date for a permanent ceasefire following the first exchange of prisoners and hostages. After that, a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would be established. Furthermore, the Hamas has outlined that all detainees from both sides would be released in the second stage of the plan.
Israel's response to Hamas
Reports said, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office dismissed the Hamas's new stance on the Gaza truce. Netanyahu's office also said an update regarding the matter would be provided to the country's war and extended security cabinets on Friday. Notably, Hamas received a draft proposal in February from the Gaza truce in France's Paris—which included a 40-day pause in all military operations and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages at a 10-to-one ratio.
Netanyahu's recent stand on Rafah aggression
The development also comes right after the Israeli prime minister recently doubled down on his decision to invade Rafah, a city on the Gaza Strip's southern border controlled by Hamas, despite the US's warnings. During an interview with POLITICO on Sunday, Netanyahu said, "We will go there. We are not going to leave. You know, I have a red line." "You know what the red line is that October 7 does not happen again. Never happens again," added the PM.
