Hamas counter-proposes ‘permanent ceasefire’ in three stages
Netanyahu: ‘There will be no end to war until complete victory’
“It is the best plan for Israel in the stalemate.”
While expectations have risen as the ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip has shown substantial progress for the first time in two months, Hamas has put the brakes on the negotiations by putting forward a ‘counterproposal’ demanding a permanent ceasefire.
As Israel’s stance is that an end to the war is absolutely impossible in order to kill both the ‘two birds with one stone’ – the destruction of Hamas and the return of hostages – attention is being paid to whether future negotiations can make progress.
◆Hamas makes a counter-proposal to the ‘6-week ceasefire plan’… “Permanent ceasefire in three stages”
Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar previously proposed a plan for the sequential release of hostages through a six-week temporary ceasefire to Hamas at the four-party meeting in Paris.
Hamas did not make any statement for a while after receiving the agreement. Some analysts also suggested that the decision was being delayed due to friction between the internal leadership in the Gaza Strip and the external leadership based in Qatar.
On the 6th (local time), while U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken was on a tour of four Middle Eastern countries, Hamas made a counterproposal through the mediating country, Qatar. It included a 135-day ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli ground troops from the Gaza Strip, and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including high-ranking Hamas officials.
In the Hamas proposal, both sides would adhere to a three-phase ceasefire for 135 days, with each phase lasting 45 days.
In the first phase, all Israelis under the age of 19, women, the elderly, the sick, and all Palestinian women and children will be released. During this period, Israeli troops withdraw from residential areas in the Gaza Strip.
In the second stage, the remaining Israeli male hostages and Palestinian male prisoners will be exchanged, and the Israeli military will completely withdraw from the Gaza Strip.
In stages 1 and 2, a total of about 100 Israeli hostages will be released, and about 8,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released. Among the prisoners are 500 security criminals serving life sentences in Israel.
In the final third stage, the bodies of the deceased are handed over and the war is completely ended. The proposal is to reach a permanent ceasefire in three stages.
◆Israel says, “The war will end only when the operation is completed.”
The main issue between the four-party conference agreement and Hamas’ counter-proposal is the ceasefire period. While Hamas is demanding a permanent ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will not end the fighting until ‘complete victory’ is achieved.
Prime Minister Netanyahu objected to Hamas’s counter-proposal, saying, “Giving in to empty demands will not only not lead to the release of hostages, but will also lead to another massacre.”
Also, “The military operation (to destroy Hamas) will last for months, not years. “There is no other solution,” he said, emphasizing the position that the war can only be ended by completing military operations in the Gaza Strip.
For now, the mediating countries are in a positive mood. Secretary Blinken stated at a press conference held in Tel Aviv, Israel on the 7th, “I believe there is room, and I also believe we should pursue it.”
Qatari Prime Minister Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also expressed confidence that he was optimistic about the negotiations, saying the previous day, “I have received a reply from Hamas about the general framework of the agreement.”
◆Israel in stalemate… “The best scenario for now”
Michael Milstein, a former senior Israeli military intelligence officer, analyzed that this counterproposal would effectively end the war and allow Hamas to maintain power in the Gaza Strip.
However, considering that the war in the Gaza Strip has reached a stalemate, it was believed that the current situation may be the best scenario for Israel.
Milstein pointed out to the New York Times (NYT), “Current Israeli policy has not succeeded in bringing the hostages home or defeating Hamas,” and added, “It is better to accept a deal than to end up getting nothing.”
There is also an analysis that for Hamas, withdrawing all Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip is a difficult issue that cannot be negotiated.
Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas official, said in a TV interview on the night of the 6th that if it ultimately leads to a complete ceasefire, he would support a phased ceasefire and gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, saying, “We need a text that clearly guarantees a comprehensive ceasefire and withdrawal of occupying forces.” did.
Salah al-Din al-Awade, a Palestinian analyst close to Hamas, told the NYT, “Leaving even one occupation force in the Gaza Strip is a defeat and a disaster,” and “no one will accept it.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.