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President Biden raised hopes final week when he endorsed a plan that he mentioned may result in a “cessation of hostilities completely.” He mentioned Israel had put ahead the plan, however neither Israel nor Hamas has mentioned definitively that they might settle for or reject the proposal, they usually seem to nonetheless be locked in disagreement over elementary points.
Here’s a have a look at what is understood concerning the cease-fire deal, which key factors nonetheless have to be negotiated, and the hurdles nonetheless forward:
Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire in November that lasted for every week. But the proposal now on the desk — as laid out by Mr. Biden, a senior U.S. administration official and Israeli officers — is extra formidable. Major points stay unresolved, together with whether or not Hamas would stay in command of the Gaza Strip.
The proposal would unfold in three phases.
In section one, amongst different issues, Israel would withdraw from inhabitants facilities in Gaza throughout a six-week cease-fire, and dozens of girls and aged hostages held in Gaza by Hamas and its allies can be exchanged for a whole lot of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
During that point, talks over a everlasting cease-fire would proceed, and if profitable, the deal would enter section two, with the complete withdrawal of Israel’s army from the enclave. All hostages and extra Palestinian prisoners can be freed. Under section three, Hamas would return the our bodies of hostages who had died, and a three- to five-year reconstruction interval, backed by the United States, European international locations and worldwide establishments, would start.
What are Israel’s issues?
One of the important thing gaps between Hamas and Israel over the plan is the size of the cease-fire and the longer term function of Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel mentioned on Monday that he was open to a six-week cease-fire, in keeping with an individual who attended a closed-door assembly he held with Israeli lawmakers. But publicly he has mentioned that Israel will battle till Hamas’s governing and army capabilities are destroyed.
As the proposal has been laid out, it seems that Hamas would conduct talks over phases two and three with Israel, which means that it will retain some measure of management of Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu has repeatedly mentioned that this can be a crimson line and has additionally dominated out a governing function for the Palestinian Authority, a fierce rival to Hamas that has restricted governing powers within the Israel-occupied West Bank.
The Israeli prime minister is going through competing pressures from the United States and different allies to finish the warfare and, on the opposite facet, from two far-right companions in his governing coalition which have threatened to convey down his authorities ought to Israel comply with a deal that will finish the warfare with out eliminating Hamas.
In an indication of that stress, one in every of them, Israel’s far-right safety minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, mentioned on Wednesday that his party would proceed to disrupt Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition till he revealed particulars of the proposal. Two Israeli officers confirmed this week that the provide shared by Mr. Biden usually aligned with the latest cease-fire proposal that Israel had introduced in talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
What about Hamas?
Hamas has mentioned it was responding “positively” to the plan, however at a information convention on Tuesday, Osama Hamdan, a Hamas spokesman, mentioned that Hamas had knowledgeable mediators that the group couldn’t approve an settlement that doesn’t present for a everlasting cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and a “critical and actual deal” to alternate Palestinian prisoners for hostages.
The identical day, Sami Abu Zuhri, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, accused Israel of not being critical a couple of deal and mentioned the White House was placing stress on Hamas regardless of “realizing that the issue lies” with the Israelis.
Many residents of Gaza say they’re determined for an finish to the warfare however analysts be aware that Hamas, an armed group, will not be attentive to the needs of the enclave’s civilians. Political specialists say that the group’s leaders, together with its most senior official within the territory, Yahya Sinwar, could also be in no hurry to finish the battle, perceiving partly that Hamas’ leverage will diminish as soon as it agrees to launch the hostages.
Mr. Sinwar, the presumed mastermind of the Oct. 7 assault, nonetheless need to weigh in on the proposal, an individual briefed on the negotiations mentioned.
Adam Rasgon contributed reporting.
