CNN
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Israel said the terms of the ceasefire deal accepted by Hamas on Monday were still “far from” meeting its demands, and warned that military operations in Rafah would continue even as it sent negotiators and consulted with mediators.
Hamas said in a statement on Monday that its political director, Ismail Haniyeh, had informed the Qatari prime minister and Egypt’s information minister that the militant group had accepted the offer of a ceasefire and hostage agreement.
Palestinians celebrated the statement in the streets of Gaza, while in Tel Aviv, hostage families and their supporters implored Israeli leaders to accept the deal.
But shortly afterwards, Israel said the terms accepted by Hamas were still far from meeting its “demands” and said its war cabinet had “unanimously decided” to continue fighting, and committed to an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. was reiterated. An operation to “apply military pressure to Hamas.” However, they agreed to send a delegation to the mediation committee for further discussions.
Late Monday night, the Israel Defense Forces announced that it was “carrying out targeted attacks against Hamas terrorist targets east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.” Video and images obtained by CNN show multiple explosions in the Rafah area on Monday night.
CNN political and world affairs analyst Barak Rabid, citing two sources with direct knowledge, said Israeli forces will occupy the Palestinian side of the Rafah border within the next few hours.
The news comes just hours after Israel ordered Palestinians living in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to “immediately evacuate.”
The order raised fears that an Israeli attack on the city, which has been threatened for years, was imminent. More than a million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah, where Hamas is believed to have regrouped after Israel razed much of northern Gaza.
A person familiar with Israeli plans told CNN that the limited incursion into Rafah is aimed at keeping pressure on Hamas to agree to a deal that would result in a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
U.S. officials told CNN they are closely monitoring reports about the explosion in Rafah and have “grave concerns” about the ongoing situation, but do not believe that what is happening now could lead to a large-scale attack on southern Gaza. He said he did not believe it was the beginning of an Israeli military operation.
White House Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters that the Biden administration continues to oppose Israel’s invasion of Rafah.
Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari said ceasefire talks would continue on Tuesday. stated in a statement local time early Tuesday morning.
A Qatari delegation said it would head to Cairo on Tuesday morning to continue indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas after Hamas sent a “positive” response to mediators involved in the ceasefire proposal.
Qatar’s announcement comes amid calls from the international community for a ceasefire and agreement on a hostage release agreement. UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli government and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire agreement following the Hamas announcement.
Israeli and U.S. officials said Hamas had agreed to the proposed framework, but that it was different from what Israel had been helping coordinate with Egypt. The latest proposal calls for an end to the war, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said he would not accept, a senior US official said.
In a press release, Hamas said it had no intention of withdrawing its demands in the latest proposal, which included “a ceasefire, complete withdrawal, dignified exchanges, reconstruction, and lifting of the blockade.”
Benny Gantz, Israel’s war minister, said on Monday that there is a “significant gap” between Israel and Hamas. “Nevertheless, we will continue to leave no stone unturned and our delegation will go to Cairo.”
The previous framework, which Israel helped develop but did not fully agree to, called for the release of between 20 and 33 hostages over several weeks in exchange for a temporary ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Ta.
According to that framework, after the initial exchange, the remaining hostages, captured Israeli soldiers, and bodies of hostages will be transferred to more Palestinians, in what sources describe as a “sustainable restoration of peace.” They will be exchanged for prisoners of war.
The White House confirmed on Monday that there had been a “response from Hamas” to the proposed hostage deal in Israel and that US President Joe Biden had been briefed on the response, but that there was no other option for the deal. He declined to discuss specifically what this would entail. .
White House National Security Press Secretary John Kirby said at a news conference that Biden is “aware of where the situation and the process is.” CIA Director Bill Burns remains in the area and is “working in the field in real time,” Kirby added.
“We still believe that reaching an agreement is the absolute best outcome, not just for the hostages, but for the Palestinian people, and we will not stop working towards that outcome,” he said.
AFP/Getty Images
Palestinians in Rafah rejoice at the news that Hamas has accepted a cease-fire offer, May 6, 2024.
Asked whether Hamas’ acceptance of the deal could change Israel’s plans for Rafah, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said the military would continue its operations in Gaza. He said that although the operation was ongoing, the IDF was fully committed to negotiations to bring the hostages home “as soon as possible.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from the more militant wing of his coalition not to accept a cease-fire plan outlined last week and instead focus on eliminating Hamas in Rafah.
Orit Strzok, Israel’s settlement minister and a member of the far-right religious Zionist party, said last week that accepting the deal would throw Israel’s military advances “in the trash.”
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir said that Prime Minister Netanyahu “promised that Israel would enter Rafah, guaranteed that the war would not end, and promised not to make reckless deals.”
However, a majority of Israelis are calling on Prime Minister Netanyahu to accept the deal. Family members and supporters of the hostages blocked Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway last week, holding banners that read: “Rafah or hostages, choose life.”
Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet but seen as Netanyahu’s rival and potential successor, said the return of the hostages was more urgent than getting into Rafah.
Following Monday’s announcement by Hamas, the Hostage Families Forum said: “Now is the time for all involved to make good on their commitments and turn this opportunity into an agreement for the return of all hostages.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
