By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Hamas has repeatedly made its commitment clear to accepting the July 2 proposal submitted by US President Joe Biden for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

The Israeli government has submitted yet another proposal to the US administration, one in which all captives held in Gaza would be released in one phase, in exchange for ending the war in the Strip, according to Haaretz.

As part of the deal proposed by Gal Hirsch, the government official responsible for the return of the captives, “Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, his family, and thousands of operatives of his choice would leave Gaza for a third country.”

It is touted as allowing Hamas leaders “to leave through a safe passage,” and not to be defined as a “surrender” or “exile”, the report said.

The proposal is seen as enabling Israel “to pursue an end to the fighting on the one hand while allowing Sinwar to remain at the helm of the terrorist organization, even though he would, in theory, lose his immediate influence over Gaza.”

“Once the leaders of the organization leave Gaza, an agreed-upon mechanism for rebuilding of Gaza would begin,” the report adds.

July 2 Offer

Hamas has repeatedly made its commitment clear to accepting the July 2 proposal submitted by US President Joe Biden for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, despite ongoing delays by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in reaching an agreement.

Earlier this month, Khalil al-Hayya, a member of Hamas’ Political Bureau, told reporters at a press conference that Hamas does not require additional proposals for negotiations, insisting on holding Israel accountable for its commitments, especially in light of Netanyahu’s attempts to avoid fulfilling obligations.

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“The series of evasions and deceptive maneuvers that Netanyahu is employing to avoid reaching a ceasefire agreement has become entirely exposed to the mediators, the US administration, the global public opinion, and even the Israeli public,” al-Hayya said.

He added, “The world has reached a clear understanding of the reasons for the disruption of the negotiation process and who is obstructing the agreement, continuously creating excuses to thwart efforts to reach a deal.”

The Hamas official also rejected any notion of restarting negotiations from scratch or falling into a repetitive cycle, which he believes serves Netanyahu’s objectives.

‘Back to Square One’

An unnamed senior Hamas official also reportedly told Turkish Foreign Ministry officials earlier this month that Netanyahu is continuously “introducing new conditions,” particularly regarding the “Philadelphi Corridor” and “the Rafah border crossing,” which has led to repeated setbacks.

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“Every time we go back to square one, and a new process starts,” the official said, adding that Israel is not negotiating but imposing.

“We said we would negotiate within the framework of July 2. However, Israel is retreating from the May 24-25 document and Biden’s plan approved by the UN Security Council. We cannot accept this,” the official said.

‘Prolonged War’ – Sinwar

In a letter to Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Yemeni Ansarallah movement, last week Sinwar highlighted that Hamas is preparing for a prolonged battle, aiming to break Israel’s political resolve, just as they have weakened its military strength.

“We have prepared ourselves for a prolonged war of attrition that will break the enemy’s political will, just as the Al-Aqsa Flood broke its military will,” Sinwar said.

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Israel continues to flout a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the enclave and has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.

Over 41,000 Killed

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.

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According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 41,252 Palestinians have, to date, been killed, and 95,497 wounded. Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

Famine and Starvation

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.

(The Palestine Chronicle)