US evaluating Hamas remarks on Gaza ceasefire plan

Hamas responded to a US-backed proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, with some “remarks” on the deal, Qatari and Egyptian mediators said on Tuesday. The United States was “evaluating” the response, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters. Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group said they were ready to “deal positively to arrive at an agreement” and that their priority is to bring a “complete stop” to the war. The foreign ministries of Qatar and Egypt said in joint statement that they were examining the response and that they would continue their mediation efforts along with the US “until an agreement is reached.” The news comes as the UN cites possible war crimes committed by Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups following the Nuseirat raid that freed four Israeli hostages. Spokesman for the human rights office Jeremy Laurence expressed concerns about potential violations of rules of proportionality, distinction and precaution by Israeli forces during the raid. He also said Palestinian armed groups who held hostages in densely populated areas were putting the lives of civilians and hostages at added risk of hostilities. Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the UN Security Council’s vote in favour of the Gaza ceasefire plan made it “as clear as it possibly could be” that the world supports the proposal, and called on Hamas to accept it. While at an international conference in Jordan on the humanitarian response for Gaza, Blinken also announced “an additional $404 million in new aid to Palestinians." He also mentioned how Israel has taken what he described as “important steps” in opening crossings to deliver assistance, though “it can and must do more.” Hamas says it has given Qatari and Egyptian mediators its reply to the U.S.-backed proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, seeking some “amendments” on the deal. The proposal has raised hopes of ending an 8-month conflict in which Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza have killed over 37,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, and driven some 80% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hamas gave its official response to the latest truce proposal for Gaza on Tuesday, calling for a “complete halt” to Israeli “aggression” as fighting raged in the Palestinian territory. Washington has also pushed for a “day-after” plan for Gaza, promoted a governance role for Hamas’s rival, the Palestinian Authority, and urged steps toward a two-state solution.