KATHMANDU: Hamas is waiting for Israel's response to its ceasefire proposal, according to two officials from the Palestinian group. The three-phase plan, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, aims to end the nine-month war in Gaza and free around 120 Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Israel is in talks with the Qataris regarding Hamas' response, promising to provide its own response within days.
Hamas has dropped its demand for a permanent ceasefire before signing an agreement, allowing negotiations to achieve that throughout the six-week first phase. The proposal could lead to a framework agreement if embraced by Israel and would end the war.
US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns will travel to Qatar next week for negotiations. The conflict, triggered by an October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas fighters, has claimed the lives of more than 38,000 Palestinians and resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of around 250 hostages in Israel.
Protesters took to the streets across Israel on Sunday to pressure the government to reach an accord to bring back Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza. Meanwhile, fighting continued to rage across Gaza, with at least 15 people killed in separate Israeli military strikes across the enclave on Sunday.
The Israeli military said its forces have killed 30 Palestinian gunmen in Rafah during close combat and air strikes, and located weapons and explosives in Shejaia, an eastern suburb of Gaza City. The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said fighters attacked Israeli forces in several locations across the Gaza Strip with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.
