Qatari and Egyptian negotiators, who are mediating talks between Hamas and Israel, have presented a new draft of a ceasefire agreement, BBC News reported on 21 April, citing a senior Palestinian official.
The plan, as told by the source, has five to seven-year ceasefire, releasing all Palestinian captives in Israeli jails for the release of all Israeli hostages, the ultimate ending of the war, and withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza.
According to a Palestinian official familiar with the talks, Hamas was prepared to hand over authority of the Gaza Strip to any Palestinian group reached ‘at the national and regional level’. Either the Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank, or a new entity, he explained.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already opposed the involvement of the Palestinian Authority in the eventual rule of the Gaza Strip, which has been under Hamas since 2007.
The publication’s source explained that it was premature to assess the success of the intended plot, but stated that Qatar and Egypt had engaged in ‘serious mediation efforts’ and Hamas had shown ‘unprecedented flexibility’. BBC News states that a Hamas delegation will travel to Cairo to consult. Israel has not yet commented on the offer made by the mediators.
