Israel pounds Gaza, insists on ‘Hamas destruction’ as US presses roadmap
Al Jazeera
Hamas open to plan announced by Biden ‘based on foundation of permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal’ from Gaza.
Israeli tanks and artillery fire have continued pounding the shattered Gaza Strip and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on the destruction of Palestinian group Hamas as part of a ceasefire plan presented by US President Joe Biden, raising questions about the prospect of a deal.
During a news conference at the White House on Friday, Biden said Israel has put forward “a comprehensive new proposal” to end the war. The three-phase plan seeks to implement a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that involves the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza and the release of all Israelis held captive in the strip.
Hamas has indicated that it is open to the proposal, raising hopes of a halt to Israel’s eight-month war.
In a statement, the group said it “reaffirms its readiness to positively engage and cooperate with any proposal based on the foundation of a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, the return of displaced people to their homes, and the completion of a genuine prisoner exchange deal, provided that the occupation announces its explicit commitment to this”.
But on Saturday, Netanyahu was adamant in declaring that for Israel’s war on Gaza to end, Hamas must be destroyed.
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