Hamas has outlined a peace plan for a truce with Israel in Gaza Strip, spurring hopes for an end to the war after almost five months of bombardment and ground invasion.
This comes as 27,585 people have been killed and 66,978 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. Thousands more have been lost under the rubble and are presumed dead.
What does Hamas’ peace plan entail?
Hamas calls its peace plan “reasonable and realistic” and has been submitted in response to proposals sent last week by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The mediators have been holding negotiations with Israel and the US in a high-level diplomatic push to end the war.
In its plan, Hamas has suggested a three-stage truce process, with each stage lasting for 45 days each.
First stage
In the first 45 days, Hamas proposes to release the following hostages that they took on October 7: all Israeli female captives, male captives under 19-years of age and who are not members of, or conscripts to the Israeli armed forces, the elderly and the sick.
In return, Hamas wants Israel to release 1,500 Palestinians being held in Israeli jails, including all women, children and elderly people.
Among the 1,500 Palestinian prisoners to be released, 500 would have to be people currently serving life sentences and other extended terms.
In addition to the release of prisoners, Hamas is also requesting for at least 500 humanitarian aid and fuel trucks to be allowed into Gaza daily.
With regards to shelter, Hamas has asked for the provision of 60,000 temporary homes and 200,000 tents. Hamas stipulates that displaced Palestinians in Gaza must be allowed to freely return to their homes, with no barriers, in the context of a mutual, temporary truce.
The group wants all crossings into the Gaza Strip to be opened, and for Gaza’s Palestinians who require medical care to be able to travel freely out of the strip.
Second stage
In the second phase of the peace plan, Hamas says it will release all remaining male Israeli captives. In return, Hamas calls for Israeli troops to withdraw from all areas of Gaza.
Hamas reiterates that further humanitarian aid must be allowed into Gaza. Reconstruction of damaged infrastructure must commence.
For the next and final stage to start, there will need to be discussions about the requirements for a “complete truce” and a return to “a state of calm”.
Third stage
In the final stage, Hamas proposes that both sides will release any bodies or remains at this stage, after identification processes have taken place.
Humanitarian measures must also continue.
Israel and United States responses
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rejected Hamas' latest truce offer, calling Hamas' position "delusional."
"The day after is the day after Hamas. All of Hamas," he told a press conference, emphasising that total victory against Hamas was the only solution to the months-long Gaza war.
Netanyahu added that “continued military pressure“ is a ”necessary condition“ for the release of the hostages.
However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was still room for negotiation toward an agreement.
"There are clearly non-starters in what (Hamas has) put forward," Blinken said at a late-night press conference in Tel Aviv. Blinken did not elaborate what the non-starters were.
"But we also see space in what came back to pursue negotiations, to see if we can get to an agreement. That's what we intend to do."
ICJ provisional measures
Despite an order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to prevent and punish direct incitement of genocide in the Gaza Strip, Israel continues its attacks and bombardment.
During the genocide hearing against Israel heard in The Hague, the President of the ICJ, Judge Joan Donoghue, reiterated the court's order for Israel to take immediate and effective measures to provide basic services and humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Israel has been instructed to prevent genocidal acts against Palestinians, ensure its army doesn't commit such acts, punish public incitement to commit genocide, provide urgent services and humanitarian aid to Gaza, and preserve evidence related to genocide allegations. Israel must report back to the court within a month on its efforts to comply with these orders.
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