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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">Israel refuses Hamas demand for written ceasefire assurances</h1><p class="gmail-">Tel Aviv remains insistent on the option to resume the war if things do not go its way in the ceasefire talks </p><div class="gmail-another-name"><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/news-desk-9" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">News Desk</a></p></div><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span>JUL 7, 2024 - </span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-refuses-hamas-demand-for-written-ceasefire-assurances">https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-refuses-hamas-demand-for-written-ceasefire-assurances</a></font></p></div></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="http://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/6718e454-3c56-11ef-8532-00163e02c055.webp" alt="" width="408" height="229" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>(Photo credit: AP)</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span><p>Israel will not accept Hamas’ <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/axios---israel--will-not-hamas-request-for-written-commitmen">request</a>
for written assurances regarding negotiations in the second phase of a
proposed deal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza. </p><p>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. </p><p>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. </p><div class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div> <p>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.</p><p>The proposal was reportedly updated recently with “new
language” by CIA chief William Burns and other officials, Lebanese media
reported on 4 July.<a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-examines-positive-hamas-response-for-potential-ceasefire"> Hamas presented</a> its proposed amendments to the plan on 3 July. </p><p>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.”</p><p>“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 <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/06/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-cease-fire-proposal.html"><i>New York Times</i></a> (NYT) on 6 July. </p><p>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.” </p><p>There are other outstanding issues besides Articles 8 and 14 of the proposal. </p><p>In
its response, Hamas refused Israel’s veto over releasing Palestinians
with life sentences as part of an exchange, a source told <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/latestnews/2024/7/4/source-to-al-mayadeen--hamas-insists-on-the-necessity-of-wit"><i>Al-Mayadeen</i></a> on 4 July. The <a href="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">source</a> also said Hamas is insisting on an Israeli withdrawal from the Rafah border crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor. </p><p>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 <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/25174">seized</a> by Israeli forces later that month. </p><p>In mid-June, the Israeli army <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/25515">set fire to and destroye</a>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. </p><p>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. </p><p>Speaking to <i>Al-Arabi</i>, 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.”</p></span></div></div></div></div>
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