Hamas has responded to President Biden’s ceasefire proposal for the Gaza war, joining forces with Palestinian Islamic Jihad in a joint statement. The militant groups announced that they would “behave positively” to reach an agreement and end the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip. They emphasized that their response puts the interests of the Palestinian people first and called for a complete halt to the aggression.
In their response, Hamas rejected the proposal to release Israeli hostages, according to a source familiar with the matter. The White House is currently reviewing Hamas’ response. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu has reaffirmed his support for Biden’s plan, which involves releasing specific Israeli hostages during a full ceasefire, followed by the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The US, Egypt, and Qatar have been working together to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken promoting the plan during a recent trip to the Middle East. Efforts to reach a ceasefire and end the war in Gaza are ongoing.
