12-9-2024 (CAIRO) The Palestinian Hamas group announced that it is ready to implement an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, based on a previous U.S.-backed proposal, without the addition of any new conditions. In a statement, Hamas shared that its negotiating team, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, had met with key mediators in Doha, including Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, to discuss the situation in Gaza.
Despite multiple rounds of negotiations, no deal has been reached to bring an end to the 11-month-long conflict. A major sticking point remains control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategically important strip of land on the Gaza-Egypt border.
CIA Director William Burns, who has been leading the U.S. efforts in these talks, stated on September 7 that a more comprehensive ceasefire proposal would be presented within the coming days.
The initial ceasefire plan, put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden in June, suggested a three-phase cessation of hostilities in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages.
The current conflict began on October 7, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel’s ongoing offensive has resulted in at least 41,084 Palestinian deaths and left 95,029 injured, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
