President Joe Biden of the United States foresees a ceasefire deal in Gaza by March 4, but the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has said it is simply premature of him given the situation on the ground.
Biden’s comments came after the White House national security advisor said negotiators are close to reaching a ceasefire deal. Doha is now hosting a new round of talks with the presence of representatives from Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
On Tuesday, a Hamas official said there were still big gaps that needed to be bridged.
“The primary and main issues of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces are not clearly stated, which delays reaching an agreement.”
Media reports say Hamas has received a draft proposal from Gaza truce talks in Paris which allows for a 40-day initial halt in all military operations in Gaza. The pause would potentially allow the release of 40 Israeli captives in exchange for 400 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
It also includes the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza as well as the entry of aid trucks into the besieged territory.
Hamas has reiterated that the draft document does not meet its demands. The major demands put forth by the resistance are a deal that includes a commitment for a permanent end to hostilities and a withdrawal of the regime’s troops.
Leaked draft promoted for ‘propaganda’ purposes
Separately, a senior Hamas official has accused the Biden administration of leaking a ceasefire proposal to influence the Palestinian public opinion.
Osama Hamdan, the top Hamas representative in Lebanon, said on Tuesday the leaked draft is being promoted for “propaganda” purposes by the United States, Israel’s great benefactor.
“The Paris Summit draft is an American proposal and its goal is to give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more time to prepare for a new attack,” Hamdan said.
He also accused Israel of continuing to “evade its obligations.”
Hamdan said Hamas insists on permanently ending the Israeli aggression, lifting the Israeli siege and launching a Gaza reconstruction project without Israeli restrictions before a prisoner swap.
‘Biden supporting Israel’s war of starvation’
In a statement on Monday, Hamas slammed the Biden administration for supporting the Israeli campaign in Gaza.
Hamas said the international community’s “inability and the American cover for the crime of starvation that the occupation uses as a weapon to achieve political goals is a disgrace to humanity that history will not erase, even if the American administration hides behind misleading statements about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.”
“It will not absolve it of its responsibility and participation in war crimes committed against defenseless civilians.”
Israel’s relentless attacks over the past 24 hours have killed nearly 100 Palestinians across the besieged territory. In Gaza City, the regime’s warplanes have created a belt of fire around a school currently being used as a shelter.
The death toll from Israel’s campaign is close to 30,000. A considerably large number of the victims are women and children.
The humanitarian situation is deteriorating. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has suspended its work in Gaza for 48 hours because the Israeli military has failed to ensure the safety of its teams.
