Israel has rejected a new proposal aimed at halting its offensive in Gaza and securing the release of 10 more hostages. A senior Israeli official from the country’s negotiation team told Israel’s state-owned TV today that US mediators presented the proposal overnight. According to the official, it included the release of five living hostages and five deceased, the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a 70-day ceasefire, and negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire. The official said that Israel has rejected the deal, describing it as a surrender to Hamas.
Israel has insisted on the so-called Witkoff framework, a deal proposal presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early March, which calls for the release of additional Israeli hostages in return for a 50-day truce. It also promised to engage in talks on a longer truce. It doesn’t mention a withdrawal of Israeli forces or the release of Palestinian prisoners, two of Hamas’s key demands.
Another round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas ended on Thursday after Netanyahu recalled the delegation. It was aimed at ending Israel’s 19-month-long military campaign and securing the release of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza.
Meanwhile, as per the media reports, at least 54 Palestinians have been killed in two separate Israeli air strikes overnight, including a strike on a school sheltering displaced families in central Gaza. A spokesperson for Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence said 20 bodies, including those of children, were recovered. It said many were severely burned, after fires engulfed two classrooms.
On the other hand, the Israeli military said it had targeted a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command and control centre.
Israel ended a three-phase ceasefire agreement in March, following two months of truce during which Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages. It refused to proceed to the second phase and resumed its assault on Gaza.
According to the Gaza health authorities, more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began.
