Hamas says it approves a ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt and Qatar, according to a statement to a Palestinian news site.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh spoke by phone with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel, “and informed them of Hamas's approval of its proposal on a ceasefire agreement,” the group said in a statement published by Shehab News on Monday.
But Israeli officials, according to Reuters, say Hamas approved a proposal that had been “softened” by Egypt and that Israel would not accept. Israel has not formally commented on the proposal accepted by Hamas, and details about any possible release of hostages, Palestinian prisoners or the length of a ceasefire have not been released.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US received only a copy of what he said was Hamas' “response,” but did not further characterize it.
“I can confirm that Hamas has issued a response,” Miller told reporters on Monday. “We are now reviewing that response and discussing it with our partners in the region… We continue to believe that a hostage settlement is in the best interest of the Israeli people. It is in the best interest of the Palestinian people. An immediate ceasefire.” .
It's not clear if Hamas responded to a proposal approved by the US Asked what proposal Hamas accepted, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House: “I'm not going to get into that.”
Kirby said President Biden has been briefed on Hamas' response.
CIA Director William Burns traveled to Cairo to join the talks late last week and is now in Doha, Qatar, as negotiations continue
Mr. Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for about 30 minutes on Monday and “updated the prime minister on efforts to reach a hostage deal,” the White House said. But Kirby said the call ended before reports of Hamas' response emerged.
Hamas was labeled a terrorist group by the US and Israel long before Hamas launched a surprise attack October 7killing over 1,100 and taking over 250 hostages.
The Israeli military warned about 100,000 Palestinians in the eastern Gaza city of Rafah on Monday to evacuate ahead of a long-threatened ground offensive by Israeli leaders. The message was delivered with leaflets, phone calls, messages and media broadcasts in Arabic after a weekend in which a new ceasefire was expected in seven months. Israel-Hamas war he burst out again.
Tucker Reals and Camilla Schick contributed to this report.
