[News] Israel refuses Hamas demand for written ceasefire assurances

[Anti-Imperialist News]

 Israel refuses Hamas demand for written ceasefire assurances

Tel Aviv remains insistent on the option to resume the war if things do not
go its way in the ceasefire talks

News Desk <https://thecradle.co/authors/news-desk-9>

JUL 7, 2024 -
https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-refuses-hamas-demand-for-written-ceasefire-assurances
(Photo credit: AP)

Israel will not accept Hamas’ request
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/axios---israel--will-not-hamas-request-for-written-commitmen>
for written assurances regarding negotiations in the second phase of a
proposed deal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza.

The Palestinian resistance group is demanding that a cessation of
hostilities outlined in the first phase of the proposal be ongoing
throughout negotiations in the second phase. However, Israel is insistent
on the option to resume the war if negotiations falter.

During David Barnea’s visit to the Qatari capital, Doha, last week, the
Mossad chief conveyed the message to mediators that Israel “does not accept
Hamas' demand for a written commitment regarding negotiations for the
second phase of the agreement,” Axios reported on 6 July, citing Israeli
officials.

The main issues revolve around Articles 8 and 14 of the proposal. Article 8
of the proposal refers to talks between Israel and Hamas that would be held
during phase one and would last for six weeks of the agreement, while
Article 14 refers to the transition between phase one and phase two.

The proposal was reportedly updated recently with “new language” by CIA
chief William Burns and other officials, Lebanese media reported on 4 July.
Hamas presented
<https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-examines-positive-hamas-response-for-potential-ceasefire>
its proposed amendments to the plan on 3 July.

The proposal calls to “make every effort” to ensure the negotiations end in
agreement. Hamas’ response called for the phrase “make every effort” to be
replaced with the word “ensure.”

“In effect, Hamas wants to ensure that it does not turn over many of the
hostages only for Israel to restart the war,” an informed official
told the *New
York Times*
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/06/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-cease-fire-proposal.html>
(NYT) on 6 July.

Another official confirms to NYT that Israel has rejected Hamas’ request.
“Israel wants the option to resume fighting if it deems it necessary.
Without such leverage, Hamas might drag its feet, effectively obtaining an
undeclared permanent cease-fire.”

There are other outstanding issues besides Articles 8 and 14 of the
proposal.

In its response, Hamas refused Israel’s veto over releasing Palestinians
with life sentences as part of an exchange, a source told *Al-Mayadeen*
<https://english.almayadeen.net/latestnews/2024/7/4/source-to-al-mayadeen--hamas-insists-on-the-necessity-of-wit>
on 4 July. The source
<https://www.almayadeen.net/news/politics/%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B5-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86--%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%82%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86>
also said Hamas is insisting on an Israeli withdrawal from the Rafah border
crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor.

Israel seized the Rafah crossing on 7 May and began pushing into the
southernmost city in defiance of months of international warnings,
displacing around one million Palestinians. The Philadelphi corridor, the
vital strip bordering Egypt that serves as a lifeline to both the
resistance and the people of Gaza, was then seized
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/25174> by Israeli forces later that
month.

In mid-June, the Israeli army set fire to and destroye
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/25515>d the Rafah crossing. According to
reports at the time, this was part of a US–Israeli plan to transfer the
Rafah land crossing to the Kerem Shalom area – where another border
crossing that leads from the strip to Israel lies – to tighten supervision
and obstruct Hamas members from entering and leaving the enclave.

Tel Aviv has long been calling to establish a permanent presence along the
southern Gaza border. Hamas has stuck to its terms in the talks for a
complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Speaking to *Al-Arabi*, the head of Hamas’ national relations office,
Hussam Badran, said on 6 July: “There is a positive outlook from the
mediators regarding the movement's recent stance on the exchange deal. The
only obstacle to reaching an agreement is Netanyahu.”
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