As HAS been explained here and other places….
The Armed Hamas group PUTTING DOWN their arms for another Palestinian group, other than them, to run Gaza…IS A a LONG term goal for Gaza’s future….
And may stall things until this issue is resolved….
The agreement to move to the second phase of the ‘deal’ is NOT happening…
Hamas HAS been able to ‘one up’ Israel with hostage releases up to now….
There are Two Million people in tens in Gaza right now looking to live and rebuild the place without Israel and Hamas shooting at each other….
The ceasefire went into effect Jan. 19 and was envisioned as a three-phase deal, with the first stage lasting 42 days. During that period, Israel and Hamas were supposed to begin talks to negotiate phase two, along with U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Those negotiations would address some of the thornier issues, including Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza. The first six weeks also saw the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as well as a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
But phase-two talks never got off the ground, and Israel and the United States floated a last-minute proposal to extend the initial phase through Ramadan, which lasts a month, and the Jewish holiday of Passover, from April 12 to April 20.
“Israel adopts the framework proposed by President [Donald] Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan and Passover,” Netanyahu said. “Witkoff proposed extending the ceasefire because he assessed that at this stage, it is impossible to bridge the gap between Israel’s and Hamas’s positions … and that more time is needed for negotiations to reach a possible agreement.”
Hamas called on mediators Sunday to urge Israel to resume the supply of aid, describing the move as “cheap blackmail” and a “coup” against the ceasefire agreement.
The group’s armed wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said the remaining Israeli hostages would be released only through a deal resulting from negotiations in the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. “By insisting on extending the first phase,” it said, Israel “is attempting to reset the process to zero and secure its captives without committing to an end to hostilities.”
Here’s what else to know
- Of the 251 people taken in the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, 145 have been freed or rescued. Of the remaining, 27 are believed to be alive, but Israel has not given the full basis for its estimates; 79 hostages have been confirmed killed.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he is expediting the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel. “The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to fulfill America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats,” he said in a statement Saturday….
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