Hamas agrees to Qatar-Egypt ceasefire, Israel plans Rafah invasion
The head of Hamas's political bureau has informed mediators from Qatar and Egypt that Hamas agrees with their proposal for a ceasefire, as reported by CNN and the AFP agency. The specifics of the agreement have yet to be made public.
5:03 AM EDT, May 7, 2024
A statement from Hamas mentioned that the bureau's leader contacted the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the Egyptian minister, sharing Hamas's approval of the proposed ceasefire agreement.
Israel has yet to make an official statement regarding this development. However, a Hamas representative, in an interview with Al Jazeera, mentioned that it is now up to Israel to make the next move. In recent discussions, Israel clarified its position, stating it does not align with Hamas on the agreement and has indicated plans to invade Rafah, located in southern Gaza.
The proposal deemed "unacceptable to Israel"
An Israeli official, as quoted by Reuters in an Al Jazeera report, described the ceasefire proposal approved by Hamas as a "mild Egyptian proposal" that Israel finds unacceptable.
Furthermore, the official pointed out that the proposal includes "far-reaching suggestions unacceptable to Israel."
Israeli media have also highlighted that the government in Tel Aviv has rejected the agreement.
Israel's strikes on Rafah
Following an evacuation order, the Israeli military launched attacks on Rafah's eastern districts in the Gaza Strip's south, as reported by Reuters, citing sources affiliated with Hamas. These strikes came shortly after Israel had announced its intentions to conduct an offensive on Rafah.
About 100,000 residents were instructed to evacuate to tented communities in Khan Younis and Al-Mawasi. The Israeli military clarified that this operation, targeting the eastern parts of Rafah with leaflets, phone calls, and text messages, is of "limited scope", and broader evacuation plans are not currently anticipated. Also, no specific timeline for this operation has been provided.
Refugees from other regions of the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been targeting Hamas for nearly seven months, have sought shelter in Rafah. Presently, approximately 1.4 million of the territory's 2.3 million residents are believed to be dwelling in the city.
