Hamas declared its acceptance of a truce proposal following a call from Israel for Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate ahead of an anticipated invasion.
The announcement by Hamas was met with celebrations on the streets, including cheers, tears of joy, and celebratory gunshots fired into the air.
Israel has yet to provide an official response, while the United States mentioned that it is currently “reviewing” the situation.
In a statement, Hamas communicated their leader’s approval of a ceasefire agreement to mediators from Qatar and Egypt.
A senior Hamas official emphasized that the decision now rests with Israel on whether to accept or hinder the truce. The official mentioned that Israel must choose to agree to the ceasefire or thwart it.
Earlier, Israel urged Palestinians to leave eastern Rafah, prompting concerns from the UN about the safety of such an evacuation.
This call occurred after weekend negotiations in Cairo between Israel and Hamas reached an impasse over the Palestinian group’s conditions to end the conflict.
Talks reportedly stalled following a rocket attack that resulted in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers, claimed by Hamas’s armed wing.
Despite international worries, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to proceed with sending ground troops into Rafah regardless of any potential ceasefire.
The foreign ministry in Cairo issued a statement expressing concern for the “serious humanitarian risks” facing over a million Gazans taking shelter in their city and called on Israel to exercise restraint.
US President Joe Biden reiterated his position on Rafah during a conversation with Netanyahu, as stated by the White House.
It was also stated that the Israeli Prime Minister agreed to keep the Kerem Shalom crossing open for providing humanitarian assistance to those in need.
The border crossing was closed by Israel after rockets fired from the Rafah area led to the death of four soldiers. The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, described Israel’s evacuation order as “inhumane” and a violation of international humanitarian and human rights laws.
The deadliest war in Gaza began after an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,170 people, mainly civilians.
Israel believes that 128 of the 250 hostages abducted during the attack remain in Gaza, with 35 confirmed dead. Israel, determined to eliminate Hamas, has carried out a retaliatory offensive that has claimed the lives of at least 34,735 people in Gaza, predominantly women and children, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory.
The World Health Organization states that around 1.2 million people are seeking shelter in Rafah. Hamas accused Israel of planning a large-scale offensive without considering the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Gaza Strip or the fate of the hostages.
Israel maintained that its limited and temporary evacuation order aimed to protect people from harm. Israeli jets targeted areas of Rafah, including Al-Shuka and Al-Salam, which had been instructed to evacuate, according to Gazan civil defense and aid officials.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that thousands of Gazans were leaving eastern Rafah.
Israel’s military has advised residents from Eastern Rafah to relocate to an “expanded humanitarian area” at Al-Mawasi on the coast. However, aid organizations have indicated that the designated safe zone by Israel is not adequately prepared for such a large number of people. Norwegian Refugee Council director Jan Egeland stated, “The area is already overwhelmed and lacks essential services.”
In response to how many people should move, an Israeli military spokesperson mentioned an estimate of approximately 100,000 individuals. The Red Crescent highlighted that the evacuation zone is home to around 250,000 people, many of whom have already been displaced from other areas.
Abdul Rahman Abu Jazar, a Palestinian man aged 36, expressed concern that there isn’t enough space in the area to set up tents due to the overcrowding, posing the question, “Where can we go?”
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell criticized the evacuation orders on Monday as “unacceptable” and called for Israel to refrain from initiating a ground offensive. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi took to X to express that another tragedy for Palestinians seemed imminent. UNICEF raised alarm about the potential catastrophic impact on approximately 600,000 children residing in Rafah.
UNRWA, the primary aid organization in Gaza, stated that an Israeli offensive in Rafah would result in increased civilian suffering and fatalities, and mentioned that they were not participating in the evacuations.
After the commencement of the war, Israel instructed Palestinians residing in northern Gaza to relocate to designated “safe zones,” such as Rafah.
However, the repeated bombings in Rafah have caused Palestinians to express concerns about the safety of any location within Gaza. On Sunday, airstrikes in Rafah claimed the lives of 16 individuals, a retaliation to the Hamas rockets that killed Israeli soldiers.
Consequently, Israeli authorities decided to close the crossing. A trustworthy source affiliated with Egyptian intelligence services, Al-Qahera News, reported on Monday that the rocket attack resulted in a stagnation of truce negotiations.
Despite the evacuation order issued by Israel and prior to Hamas’s acceptance of a truce proposal, Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanou stated to AFP that the movement will maintain a positive stance during the negotiations.
CIA Director Bill Burns, acting as a mediator in the talks, was anticipated to hold “emergency” discussions with Qatar’s premier in Doha, according to a source knowledgeable about the truce negotiations. The source, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, revealed that the purpose of the meeting would be to explore the possibility of getting the talks back on track.
A Hamas official involved in the negotiations mentioned on Sunday that the group’s negotiators would return to Doha for further “consultations” following the unsuccessful weekend talks, which did not include an Israeli delegation.
Haniyeh, based in Qatar, accused Netanyahu of undermining the talks, while Netanyahu’s office dismissed the claim as an “absolute lie” on Monday.
