The Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza has magically reached an agreement on an Egyptian-Qatari ceasefire deal with Israel.
Hamas has refused every temporary ceasefire proposal offered by the US, Egypt, Qatar and Israel.
But that picture allegedly changed Monday when Israel Defense Forces began evacuating civilians from Rafah in preparation for an impending military operation to eliminate the final five Hamas battalions and leadership who are holed up in the city.
Within hours, Hamas suddenly announced it had agreed to a proposal advanced by Egypt and Qatar.
“We agreed to a proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire and a complete lifting of the blockade. Amendments were made to the proposal with American guarantees,” a Hamas source told the Saudi Al Arabiya television network.
Sources likewise told the Aljazeera network that “the proposal includes an agreement to stop military operations permanently in the second phase,” which Israel has consistently opposed.
“Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of Hamas movement, conducted a telephone call with the prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and with the Egyptian intelligence minister, Mr Abbas Kamel, and informed them of Hamas’s approval of their proposal regarding a ceasefire agreement,” the group said in a statement published on its official website on Monday, Aljazeera reported, adding that details of the proposal “were not immediately clear.”
According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, however, it is more likely to be a last-gasp stalling strategy, given Israeli military forces are already at the gate. “There is no verification that Hamas has indeed agreed to the proposal that was on the table and which they refused,” and Israeli source said.
“We have not received confirmation of this from the mediators,” the source said, adding, “It is not the proposal Israel agreed to.”
Hamas’ reply is regardless being evaluated, although a cabinet official told Channel 12 on Monday evening, “This is a deception by Hamas, which is trying to present Israel as a recalcitrant.”
Other officials said that the announcement “is not being taken seriously. It is a far-reaching proposal on core issues that is unacceptable to Israel.”
Another source told the news outlet, “The proposal that Hamas agreed to is different from the proposal that Israel agreed to. Clauses were included that we do not recognize.”
