Hamas Responds to Gaza Cease-fire Proposal

Facts

• Hamas on Tuesday delivered its response to a cease-fire proposal announced last month by US Pres. Joe Biden. The group said it was ready to 'deal positively' with negotiations but that Israel must still agree to a permanent cease-fire.¹
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that some of Hamas' proposed changes were unworkable but that mediators were determined to close the gaps. He also said that some of Hamas' conditions sought to amend terms that it had previously accepted.²
• A senior Hamas official denied these claims, arguing that Israel was rejecting proposals. He also accused the US of assisting Israel in evading 'any commitment' to a permanent cease-fire. Another Hamas official said the group's response was 'responsible, serious and positive' and 'opens up a wide pathway' for an accord.²
• White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that many of Hamas' proposed changes are minor and not unanticipated but that mediators would have to work to keep the deal consistent with the proposal backed by the UN Security Council.³
• Blinken also said that the US will soon present its own vision for Gaza after the conflict, adding that the US wants to turn 'a ceasefire into an enduring end to the conflict.'⁴
• The US has said that Israel has accepted the proposal, but Israel has not publicly confirmed this. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that his country's military campaign won't end until Hamas is eliminated.²

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Reuters, ³Jerusalem Post and ⁴Al Jazeera.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Ft. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, preserve Israel's security, and create a better 'day after' in Gaza without Hamas in power. It is unfortunate that Hamas did not respond with a resounding 'yes' to this thoughtful proposal, but the US will continue to work toward closing the gaps.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. The fact that the Biden admin. thinks it's appropriate to try to pressure Israel into allowing Hamas to stay in power in Gaza is deeply disappointing. If Israel does not destroy Hamas, the group will immediately begin planning the next Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Israel must get all of its hostages back and eliminate Hamas.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. It should be clear after almost eight months of grinding brutality that Israel's true goal is to destroy Gaza and starve its people. Israel is simply not interested in a permanent cease-fire, as Israeli officials have made clear that once the hostages are returned, they will restart the brutal war on Gaza. The US, aware of Israel's intransigence, refuses to do what is necessary to end the war.