Hamas: New proposals aim to circumvent Gaza agreement

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Thursday evening that reports of new proposals regarding Gaza aim to circumvent the agreement, explaining that meetings are still ongoing with mediators in Doha.

A Hamas spokesman confirmed in a statement on Telegram that the movement "adheres to what was agreed upon and to entering into the implementation of the second phase and fulfilling its obligations by pledging not to return to war and to withdraw from the entire Gaza Strip."

He continued, "It also adheres to Israel's commitment to its commitments to withdraw from Gaza and begin the withdrawal from the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) corridor." He said, "Israel has not implemented the humanitarian protocol of the Gaza agreement."

The American website Axios quoted sources as saying that US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had presented an updated US proposal to extend the ceasefire agreement in Gaza for several weeks in exchange for Hamas releasing more detainees and resuming humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Sources confirmed that Witkov presented the parties on Wednesday with an updated proposal that includes extending the ceasefire in Gaza until after Ramadan and Easter, which ends on April 20, and resuming the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee held a meeting in Doha on Wednesday with Witkov to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip and present a plan for its reconstruction.