 "The proposal that Hamas had approved, according to the Israeli official, was a \"softened\" version of an Egyptian one that had \"far-reaching\" conclusions that Israel was unable to accept Image Courtesy Reuters")
A truce in Gaza was not agreed upon, according to an Israeli official on Monday, following Hamas’ announcement that it had approved a proposal from mediators in Qatar and Egypt.
The proposal that Hamas had approved, according to the Israeli official, was a “softened” version of an Egyptian one that had “far-reaching” conclusions that Israel was unable to accept.
“This would appear to be a ruse intended to make Israel look like the side refusing a deal,” said the Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In a brief statement earlier, Hamas announced that its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had notified mediators from Qatar and Egypt that the group approved of their ceasefire plan. The statement provided no information about the agreement.
Since a week-long break in hostilities in November, no viable agreement on a ceasefire has been reached in Gaza.
After Israel ordered the evacuation of portions of Rafah, the city on Gaza’s southern border that has been the last safe haven for around half of the 2.3 million people living there, Hamas announced a deal hours later.