'Israel' proposes 2-month pause, no permanent ceasefire: Axios
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Israeli officials told Axios they are awaiting a response from Hamas regarding the potential deal, which includes the release of all remaining captives and a return of the bodies of those who have died.
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Palestinians dig graves to bury their relatives who were killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, Southern Gaza Strip, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 (AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman)
Israeli sources have told Axios "Israel" has presented The Palestinian Resistance with a plan through Qatari and Egyptian mediators that includes up to two months of a pause in the war as part of a multi-phase settlement that would also involve the release of all remaining captives in Gaza.
The proposal would have a pause of up to two months but had no mention of a permanent ceasefire, as the Israeli genocidal war against the Strip has claimed the lives of 25,295 Palestinians with the number of injuries reaching a staggering 63,000 since October 7.
Brett McGurk, President Biden's assistant, visited Egypt on Sunday and will then go to Qatar for discussions aimed at making progress in the negotiations to free Israeli captives while disregarding the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Israeli officials told Axios they are awaiting a response from Hamas regarding the potential deal, which includes the release of all remaining captives and a return of the bodies of those who have died.
The officials explained the first phase would involve the release of women and men over the age of 60, and captives with serious medical conditions.
The next steps would entail the release of female IOF troops, non-military individuals under the age of 60, Israeli male troops, and bodies of captives.
The Israeli occupation and Hamas would agree on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, followed by separate discussions on the identities of these detainees, according to the Israeli proposal.
Additionally, the idea involves redeploying the IOF such that some are relocated out of Gaza's key population centers, as well as enabling Palestinian people to gradually return to Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip when the accord is executed.
According to Israeli regime authorities, the plan clearly states that "Israel" would neither agree to halt the war nor free all 6,000 Palestinian inmates held in Israeli jails, which are among the main conditions of the resistance to initiate any captives exchange agreement.
Freeing captives, destroying Hamas pure science fiction, Smotrich says
Israeli occupation Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich believes that the claim that Israeli captives in Gaza can be released and then "Israel" could go back to fighting and eliminate Hamas is "science fiction."
The Knesset Channel quoted Smotrich as saying that he would not agree to a deal that includes a ceasefire with Hamas, adding: "You can say that releasing the captives and going back to fighting and eliminating Hamas is science fiction."
It is worth noting that Smotrich and Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir always urge in their extremist statements to continue fighting and continue the war with the declared aim of destroying the Gaza Strip.
Former Israeli Reserve General Yitzhak Brick said on Wednesday that the Israeli occupation will not be able to achieve its main war objectives of ending Hamas and its political and military capabilities or retrieving the captives, and this failure would impose on the occupation entity paying a very heavy price.
US against ceasefire, sees no signs of war crimes in Gaza: Kirby
US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Saturday that US President Joe Biden "still believes in the promise and the possibility of a two-state solution."
During a briefing at the White House after Biden’s call with Israeli occupation's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kirby emphasized Biden's firm belief that the most appropriate course of action moving forward is "a two-state solution".
"Good friends and allies can have those kinds of candid, forthright discussions and we do," added Kirby.
The recent conversation also covered the remaining US captives held by Hamas since October 7, as per Kirby.
Meanwhile, he still maintained the US position against a ceasefire in Gaza, as he explicitly said, "The US still opposes a general ceasefire in Gaza," despite a death toll nearing 25,000, in addition to 62,108 injured.
"The US backs humanitarian pauses," he claimed, "but thinks a ceasefire will benefit Hamas."
