Israel–Hamas war ceasefire framework
On 31 May 2024, a framework for a ceasefire deal in the Israel–Hamas war was put forward by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The framework includes three phases of de-escalation, and results in the release of Israeli hostages, a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and eventually an end to the war. Both sides are currently reviewing the framework, however Israel has rejected a permanent ceasefire.[1]
Background[edit]
Successful negotiations between Israel and Hamas during the war, mediated by Qatar, led to a brief ceasefire in November 2023.[2] However, when both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire, clashes restarted on 1 December,[3] with a full diplomatic collapse the next day.[4]
Negotiations again came close to a deal in May 2024. However, Israel and Hamas disagreed on the subject of completely ending the war, leading to a faltering of negotiations.[5] Hamas then attacked the Kerem Shalom crossing on 5 May, killing four Israeli soldiers and wounding eleven.[6] Negotiations appeared to collapse, and Israel began preparations to enter the city of Rafah. On 6 May, Hamas accepted a more moderate deal from Egypt and Qatar, under pressure.[7] Israel rejected the deal[8] and began the Rafah offensive. However, Israel said it would send a delegation to continue negotiations.[9]
Framework[edit]
The framework included three phases of a ceasefire. The first phase would be a ceasefire lasting at least six weeks during which Israel would remove its forces from Gaza's population centers, elderly and women hostages would be released, and 600 trucks of humanitarian aid a day would enter Gaza. Throughout this phase, Israel and Hamas would negotiate to reach an end to the war.[10] If negotiations exceeded six weeks, the ceasefire would continue so long as the negotiations did.[1] The second phase, if and when it is reached, would include a prisoner exchange and an Israeli withdrawal from populated areas of Gaza.[11] The third and final phase would include a permanent end to the war, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the remains of dead Israeli hostages transferred to Israel.[12]
Announcement[edit]
On 31 May, United States President Joe Biden announced the plan in a speech, saying Israel offered the deal to Hamas.[13] However, it was reported that Biden and Netanyahu had not spoken beforehand, and that it appeared unlikely to have been coordinated with Israel. Analysts say the announcement might have been a tool to pressure Israel, and show that the U.S. was beginning to lose patience.[1] This assumption was later confirmed by U.S. officials.[14] The announcement was supported by multiple countries and politicians.[11]
Negotiations[edit]
Initially, Netanyahu's office said Israel was working on an "actual deal" that allowed a return of hostages and a continuation of the war. Speaking to Sky News, a source close to Netanyahu said that Biden's announcement "all but killed a deal".[1] However, later reports suggested that Israel in fact agreed to the deal prior, with it however saying it could carry out operations during the ceasefire..[14]
Hamas began reviewing the deal on the day of the announcement, and was reported to have viewed it positively.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Israel-Gaza latest: Biden makes surprise announcement - with three phases to 'end' war". news.sky.com. Sky News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Israel-Hamas truce deal: All that you need to know". Al Jazeera English. 22 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ "Hamas says Israel rejected proposed hostage release to extend truce ends". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Israel pulls Mossad negotiators from Qatar after 'impasse' over captives". Al Jazeera. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
- ^ "Hamas indicates it may agree to deal; Israeli official insists truce won't end war". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ Kraus, Yair (2024-05-05). "Injuries in rocket strike to south, power outages after rockets hit Galilee". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ "Hamas says it approves a cease-fire proposal; Israel is 'considering' its response". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ Gritten, David (May 6, 2024). "Hamas says it accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal". BBC News. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "Israel-Gaza war live: Israel 'plans to proceed with Rafah invasion plans' after Hamas ceasefire announcement". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ Holland, Steve; Kelly, Stephanie (May 31, 2024). "Biden presents new Israel ceasefire plan, calls on Hamas to accept". Reuters.
- ^ a b c "Biden announces Israel has offered a three-part proposal to end the war in Gaza". nbcnews.com. NBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Biden unveils Israeli proposal to end Gaza war". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Biden says Israel has agreed to 'enduring' Gaza ceasefire proposal". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Biden speech renews pressure on Hamas to reach Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal with Israel". axios.com. Axios. Retrieved 1 June 2024.