Israel examining ceasefire deal that Hamas accepted, says IDF spokesman | BBC News

good evening in the last hour Hamas leaders have said they'll agree to a ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt and kataar in the seven-month-old war with Israel it's understood the terms could include the release of 33 hostages held since the October the 7th attacks last year there has been no immediate response so far from Israel but if there is an agreement it would be the first pause in the fighting since a week-long truce last November well Jeremy Bowen is here with me in the studio um this is a turnup for the books literally in the last hour and the mood music getting into that was not good no it was very Bleak because the Israelis of course gave those warnings this morning to people in Rafa to move the offensive was about to happen or rather a smaller scale version of it so I've been talking to people close to the talks normally reliable diplomatic sources um and what I've been told is that they've agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages a 40-day ceasefire there would be freedom of movement for people in Gaza to return to the north uh which has not been allowed up to now and then there'd be a second phase which is known as restoring sustainable calm now my information is that that was language proposed by the Americans back in February rejected by the Israelis but um accepted by them reportedly I'm told by these sources on the 28th of April that they agreed to it um and that American language is basically a creative way of talking about a a long-term cease fire because Israel didn't want to use that sort of language so you know my source said everyone's read was that Netanyahu was hoping Hamas wouldn't take it we'll have to see what he does now the ball is in his court Hamas has called their Bluff uh the Israelis themselves uh there have been some reports on news agencies saying that that this is a bruised by himass they they're looking into it maybe it's not quite what they agreed to but clearly things are happening the head of the CIA has been talking all day to the Kateri prime minister in Doha their Capital Biden will speak to Netanyahu later and the King of Jordan is at the white house right now and he of course has been a big critic of the war indeed okay Jeremy thank you our International edit to there let's go straight to Jerusalem and Frank Gardner is standing by um any word yet from the Israelis on this development Frank no uh not so far an unnamed official has indicated that these softened terms as they put it are not going to be acceptable to the Israeli government so the mood music here in Israel is not particularly optimistic I have to say the Israeli media have said that the terms have altered in some way um whatever Hamas has agreed to even if it is still the same deal that was on the table has still got to be agreed to by the Israeli government and signed off now there is mounting pressure on prime minister Netanyahu here in Israel by the families of the hostages saying do a deal because your military operation in Gaza isn't getting our loved ones out and those voices are getting louder and louder I drive every night past these protesters who are desperate to get their hostages out there's still 90 plus hostages thought to still be alive in Gaza and they are of course the big bargaining chip for Hamas they're not going to give that up unless they can be assured that this war is going to end all right Frank thank you for that front Gardener there live in Jerusalem

Channel: BBC News

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Length: 3min 42sec (222 seconds)

Published: Mon May 06 2024