RAFAH: Heavy fighting rocked the Gaza Strip on Tuesday following G7 and Arab countries urged both Hamas and Israel to agree to a ceasefire and captives release agreement outlined by US President Joe Biden.
Mediator Qatar stated it had yet to see reactions from either side “that give us a lot of hope and confidence,” but the foreign ministry said Qatar was “working with both sides on suggestions on the table.”
The US said it would seek a UNSC resolution to back the three-phase roadmap which Joe Biden presented last Friday as Israel’s plan, even as the war has ground on.
Under the proposal, fighting would halt for an initial six weeks and captives would be swapped for Palestinian detainees, ahead of the start of a phase to rebuild Gaza, President Biden said.
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed that fighting would only have to stop temporarily to free the hostages.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office said Israel’s war cabinet was meeting on Tuesday, but no further information was given.
AFP cited a source as saying that CIA chief Bill Burns would be “returning to Qatar… to continue working with mediators on reaching a deal between Israel and Hamas on a truce in Gaza and the release of captives.
The US President confirmed Israel’s readiness to move forward” with the ceasefire deal. Hamas said Friday it viewed President Biden’s outline “positively.” The US, Qatar and Egypt have now urged both sides to agree a ceasefire deal.
The Group of Seven nations also gave their endorsement, arguing the plan would bring vastly more help into Gaza and “an enduring end to the crisis.”
Gaza Health Ministry said that more than 36,550 Palestinian people have been killed and over 82,959 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7.
