Al Jazeera reports that Hamas refused Israel’s offer to extend the ceasefire by a week and release more terrorists in exchange for the release of 15 hostages, 5 living and 10 deceased.
hostages in GazaChaim Goldberg/Flash90
The Qatari-based Al-Jazeera network published details of the negotiations that they claim took place in the last 48 hours between the Israeli negotiating team and the mediators.
According to the report, Israel demanded that Hamas release five live hostages and 10 dead hostages – in exchange for extending the first phase by a week, the release of more terrorists from Israeli prisons, and increasing aid into Gaza, in preparation for phase two of the ceasefire.
Israel requested Hamas’ response to the proposal by midnight on Friday. However, Hamas informed the mediators of the rejection of the proposals – which it said constituted a violation of the agreement.
Israel’s political echelon decided this morning (Sunday) to halt the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip after the first phase of the ceasefire concluded overnight.
The decision to halt the transfer of humanitarian aid comes in the wake of the Prime Minister’s Office’s announcement last night that Israel is prepared to extend the ceasefire in accordance with the outline proposed by US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff.
“With the conclusion of the first stage of the hostages deal and in light of Hamas’s refusal to accept the Witkoff framework for the continuation of the talks, to which Israel has agreed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip will be halted,” the Prime Minister’s Office stated.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404728.
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