The spokesperson of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Majed Al-Ansari confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday, August 19, that the main mediators of Gaza ceasefire negotiations (Qatar and Egypt) received a “positive response” from Hamas to the latest ceasefire proposal that same day.
“This proposal represents the best choice possible to stop the bloodshed of our brethren people in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing military escalation and the plans that we all know and have heard about via media outlets,” Al-Ansari said, referring to Israel’s recent plan to occupy Gaza entirely.
The Qatari official added that the proposal itinerary would lead to reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the war.
Regarding the details of the current proposal, Al-Ansari said that it stipulates the implementation of a 60-day ceasefire, during which a specified number of Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged for a number of Israeli captives.
Israel should also reposition its forces within the besieged enclave during the ceasefire period to allow an intense flow of humanitarian aid to enter simultaneously.
Although the Israeli government has not replied to Hamas’s response, Al-Ansari said that it had previously agreed to the substance of the proposal, which is “almost identical” to an earlier plan put forward by US Special Envoy to “the Middle East” Steve Witkoff.
The Qatari spokesperson pointed out that the behaviors and acts of the concerned parties are the only guarantor of the deal, asserting that no written guarantees would be contained in the agreement.
Israeli mass protests against Netanyahu’s government
Gaza ceasefire negotiations were stalled by an unprecedented stalemate for the last month, which analysts believe was in favor of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has worked relentlessly to perpetuate the genocidal aggression on Gaza to serve his personal political interests.
However, Netanyahu’s government now faces a new reality, after around one million Israeli people took part in mass protests in different areas across the territories occupied by Israel on Sunday, August 17.
A general strike was staged that same day, foreshadowing the formation of a new type of civil disobedience within Israeli society.
The protests and general strike were triggered by a recent decision made by the Israeli government to occupy Gaza instead of signing a ceasefire deal to return Israeli captives held there.
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