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CAIRO — Israel performed down the probability of a cease-fire in Gaza on Monday after Hamas stated it had accepted a proposal from mediators, at the same time as residents fled town of Rafah in concern of an Israeli assault.
The last-minute strikes towards a cease-fire got here as Israeli forces struck Rafah on Gaza’s southern edge and ordered residents out of elements of town, which has served because the final refuge for greater than one million displaced Gazans.
Hamas stated in a short assertion that its chief, Ismail Haniyeh, had knowledgeable Qatari and Egyptian mediators that the group accepted their proposal for a cease-fire.
The Israeli army stated all proposals that will launch hostages held in Gaza can be thought of, whereas for now its operations have been persevering with in parallel.
An Israeli official, talking on situation of anonymity stated the proposal that Hamas had accepted was a watered-down model of an Egyptian provide and included components that Israel couldn’t settle for.
“This is able to look like a ruse supposed to make Israel appear to be the aspect refusing a deal,” stated the Israeli official, who spoke on situation of anonymity.
An official briefed on the peace talks, additionally talking on situation of anonymity, stated nonetheless that the provide Hamas had accepted was successfully the identical as one agreed upon on the finish of April by Israel.
U.S. State Division spokesman Matthew Miller stated Washington would focus on the Hamas response with its allies within the coming hours and a deal was “completely achievable.”
“We need to get these hostages out, we need to get a cease-fire in place for six weeks, we need to enhance humanitarian help,” White Home nationwide safety spokesperson John Kirby stated, including that reaching an settlement can be the “very best consequence.”
Rafah hit by strikes
Any truce can be the primary pause in combating since a weeklong cease-fire in November, throughout which Hamas freed round half of the hostages its fighters captured within the Oct. 7 assault that precipitated the battle.
Since then, all efforts to succeed in a brand new truce have foundered over Hamas’s refusal to free extra hostages with out a promise of a everlasting finish to the battle, and Israel’s insistence that it might focus on solely a brief pause.
Taher Al-Nono, a Hamas official and adviser to Haniyeh, advised Reuters the proposal had met the group’s calls for, together with reconstruction efforts in Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians and a swap of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The Hamas deputy chief in Gaza, Khalil Al-Hayya, advised Al Jazeera tv the proposal included three phases, every of six weeks, with Israel to tug its troops out of Gaza within the second part.
Earlier on Monday, Israel ordered the evacuation of elements of Rafah, town on Gaza’s southern edge that has served because the final sanctuary for round half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
Requested throughout a media briefing whether or not Hamas saying it accepted a cease-fire proposal would impression a deliberate offensive in Rafah, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated, “We look at each reply and response in probably the most critical method and are exhausting each risk concerning negotiations and returning the hostages.”
“In parallel, we’re nonetheless working within the Gaza Strip and can proceed to take action,” he stated.
Israel’s closest ally the US has known as on it to not assault Rafah, saying it should not achieve this with out a full plan in place to guard civilians there, which has but to be offered.
Israel stated on Monday it was conducting restricted operations on the jap a part of Rafah, following a rocket assault claimed by Hamas fighters that killed 4 Israeli troopers on the principal border crossing into Rafah the day prior to this.
“We have requested civilians to maneuver out of hurt’s method. We have been extraordinarily particular concerning the areas which we’ll be focusing on …,” authorities spokesman David Mencer stated.
Israeli bombardment of jap Rafah areas continued all through the day on Monday.
“They’ve been firing since final night time and right this moment after the evacuation orders the bombardment turned extra intense as a result of they need to frighten us to depart,” Jaber Abu Nazly, a 40-year-old father of two advised Reuters by way of a chat app.
“Some households already left, others are questioning whether or not there’s anywhere secure in the entire of Gaza,” he added.
In a single day, Israeli planes had hit 10 homes, killing 20 individuals, Palestinian medical officers stated. The Israeli army stated it had struck the location in Rafah from which the day prior to this’s rocket had been launched at its troops.
Instructed by Arabic textual content messages, cellphone calls, and flyers to maneuver to what the Israeli army known as an “expanded humanitarian zone” round 12 miles away, some Palestinian households started trundling away in chilly spring rain.
Some piled youngsters and possessions onto donkey carts, whereas others left by pick-up or on foot via muddy streets.
Abdullah Al-Najar stated this was the fourth time he had been displaced because the combating started seven months in the past, as households dismantled tents and folded belongings.
“God is aware of the place we are going to go now. Now we have not determined but.”
Nick Maynard, a British surgeon attempting to depart Gaza on Monday, stated in a voice message from the Gaza aspect of the Rafah crossing into Egypt: “Two large bombs have simply gone off instantly outdoors the crossing. There’s a variety of gunfire as effectively about 100 meters from us. We’re very unclear whether or not we are going to get out.”
“Driving via Rafah, the stress was palpable with individuals evacuating as quickly as they might.”
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