CAIRO: Hamas has confirmed it has sent new “ideas” to mediators aimed at ending the nearly nine-month Gaza war with Israel. Israel said that it was “evaluating” Hamas statements on an agreement to see its captives in the Palestinian territory freed and would reply.
With the death toll from about nine months of war mounting and conditions worsening daily for people in Gaza, both parties are under increased global pressure to agree a truce. Israeli officials say there can be no stop to hostilities until Hamas frees all of its captives.
Qatar, working with the US, has been leading the mediation. In a statement, Hamas said that they exchanged some ideas with the mediators with the aim of stopping the aggression against Palestinians.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister and the Mossad intelligence service also confirmed the new approach, AFP reported. In a statement, Israeli officials said that the mediators have conveyed to the negotiating team Hamas’s statement on the outline of the captives agreement. It added that Israel is evaluating the remarks and will convey its response to the mediators.
AFP reported that the Qataris, in coordination with the US, have been engaging with Israel and Hamas over the last weeks in an attempt to bridge the remaining gaps.
