Qatar, Egypt receive Hamas response on Gaza ceasefire proposal

Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt announced that they have received a response Tuesday from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Palestinian factions on the recent proposal of a ceasefire deal and exchange of prisoners and detainees.The two sides underscored that their joint mediation efforts with the United States of America will continue until a deal is reached. The mediators will study the response and coordination with the relevant parties pertaining to the next steps.The Hamas official response to an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage exchange contains "amendments", a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP."The response contained amendments to the Israeli proposal, including a timeline for a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip," the source said, adding discussions would continue through Qatari and Egyptian mediators with US co-ordination."Hamas accepts a UN resolution backing a plan to end the war with Israel in Gaza and is ready to negotiate details," a senior official of the Palestinian group told Reuters yesterday in what the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a hopeful sign."The Hamas response reaffirmed the group's stance any agreement must end the Zionist aggression on our people, get the Israeli forces out, reconstruct Gaza and achieve a serious prisoners swap deal," a Hamas official told Reuters.Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri, who is based outside Gaza, said it accepted the ceasefire resolution and was ready to negotiate over the specifics."This required a formula stipulating the total withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a swap of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinians jailed in Israel. The US administration is facing a real test to carry out its commitments in compelling the occupation to immediately end the war in an implementation of the UN Security Council resolution," Abu Zuhri said.