Hamas rejects Egypt's phased peace plan for Gaza in war with Israel as bombardment continues

26 December 2023, 08:32

Hamas has rejected a phased plan for a ceasefire with Israel put forward by Egypt that would have seen it share power in Gaza.

The Egyptian proposal, worked out with the Gulf nation of Qatar, was presented to Israel, Hamas, the United States and European governments, would see a temporary ceasefire put in place, Hamas losing total control of Gaza, and both sides working towards an end to the conflict, with hostages and prisoners released.

But terror group Hamas, which runs Gaza and started the war with an attack that killed 1,200, turned down the deal because they wanted a "complete and not just temporary end" to the fighting.

Hamas has said that over 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombing and its ground invasion since the war began about 11 weeks ago.

The deal would see an initial ceasefire of up to two weeks put in place, during which Palestinian militants would free 40 to 50 hostages, among them women, the sick and the elderly, in return for the release of 120-150 Palestinians from Israeli prisons, the Egyptian official said.

At the same time, negotiations would continue on extending the ceasefire and the release of more hostages and bodies held by Palestinian militants, he said.

Egypt and Qatar would also work with all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, to agree on the establishment of a government of experts, he said.

The government would rule Gaza and the West Bank for a transitional period as Palestinian factions settle their disputes and agree on a road map to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, he added.

In the meantime, Israel and Hamas would negotiate a comprehensive "all-for-all" deal, he said.

This would include the release of all remaining hostages in return for all Palestinian prisoners in Israel, as well as the Israeli military's withdrawal from Gaza and the Palestinian militants' halting of rocket attacks into Israel.

Word of the proposal came as Israeli air strikes heavily pounded central and southern Gaza, crushing buildings on families sheltering inside.

In the Maghazi refugee camp, rescue workers were still pulling bodies from the wreckage hours after a strike that killed at least 106 people, according to hospital records seen by The Associated Press - one of the deadliest of Israel's air campaign.

It falls short of Israel's professed goal of outright crushing Hamas after its October 7 attack on southern Israel, which triggered the war.

As well as being rejected by Hamas, the deal appears not to meet Israel's insistence on keeping military control over Gaza for an extended period after the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the war would not stop.

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"We are expanding the fight in the coming days and this will be a long battle and it isn't close to finished," he said, speaking to members of his Likud Party.

He delivered a similar message in a speech in Israel's parliament, where families of the more than 100 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza held signs calling for Israel to reach a deal to bring them home immediately.

"Now! Now!," they chanted from the gallery.

It comes after at least 106 people were killed by an Israeli strike in central Gaza, health officials said.

Among the dead were 12 women and seven children, with several more badly hurt in the strike on the Maghazi refugee camp east of Deir al-Balah.

"We were all targeted," said Ahmad Turkomani, who lost several family members including his daughter and grandson. "There is no safe place in Gaza anyway."

Earlier, the health ministry in Gaza gave the death toll as 70. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

It comes as the number of Israeli soldiers killed in combat over the weekend rose to 17.

As Christmas Eve fell, smoke rose over the besieged territory, while in the West Bank Bethlehem was hushed, its holiday celebrations called off.

In neighbouring Egypt, tentative efforts continued on a deal for another exchange of hostages for Palestinians held by Israel.

The war has devastated parts of Gaza, killed roughly 20,400 Palestinians and displaced almost all of the territory's 2.3 million people.

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The mounting death toll among Israeli troops, 156 since the ground offensive began, could erode public support for the war, which was sparked when Hamas-led militants stormed communities in southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 and taking 240 hostage.

Israelis still largely stand behind the country's stated goals of crushing Hamas' governing and military capabilities and releasing the remaining 129 captives.

That is despite rising international pressure against Israel's offensive, and the soaring death toll and unprecedented suffering among Palestinians.

"The war exacts a very heavy price from us, but we have no choice but to continue fighting," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

In a nationally televised speech, Israeli President Isaac Herzog appealed for the country to remain united. "This moment is a test. We will not break nor blink," he said.

There has been widespread anger against his government, which many criticise for failing to protect civilians on October 7 and promoting policies that allowed Hamas to gain strength over the years.

Mr Netanyahu has avoided accepting responsibility for the military and policy failures.