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Hamas and Israel gives 'initial' approval to Gaza truce plan as fighting drags on

Qatar presented a truce proposal following talks in Paris, claiming initial positive confirmation from both Israel and Hamas. However, a Hamas source contradicted this, stating that there is no agreement on the framework, with factions having important observations.Qatar, acting as a mediator, claimed that Hamas had given "initial" approval to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal, potentially pausing the conflict with Israel.

Agencies and A News MIDDLE EAST
Published February 02,2024
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Israeli genocide in Gaza dragged on into Friday with scores reported killed overnight, after mediator Qatar said Hamas had given its "initial" approval to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal that would pause its war with Israel.

Gaza's health ministry said 105 people were killed overnight from Thursday to Friday, while the group's press office reported raids and shelling around Khan Yunis -- southern Gaza's main city and the recent epicentre of hostilities.

Nearly four months of fighting have rendered Gaza "uninhabitable", according to the UN, while an Israeli siege has led to dire shortages of food, water, fuel and medicines.

The humanitarian crisis, coupled with soaring civilian casualties, has spurred increasing international calls for a ceasefire.

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, said Thursday that recent talks in Paris between Qatari, US, Israeli and Egyptian officials had yielded a consolidated truce proposal.

"That proposal has been approved by the Israeli side and now we have an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas side."

Ansari said there were hopes of "good news" about a new pause in the fighting "in the next couple of weeks".

But a source close to Hamas told AFP on Thursday: "There is no agreement on the framework of the agreement yet -- the factions have important observations -- and the Qatari statement is rushed and not true."

A Hamas source had previously told AFP the three-stage plan would start with an initial six-week halt to the fighting that would see more aid deliveries into Gaza.

Only "women, children and sick men over 60" held by militants would be freed during that stage in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, the source said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

There would also be "negotiations around the withdrawal of Israeli forces", with possible additional phases involving more hostage-prisoner exchanges.