On Sunday, US special minister Steve Witkoff claimed that Hamas may have “duped” him into believing that they were interested in the proposed bridge extension for the Gaza peace.
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” Well, I truly hope we bring everyone back to the table and bring the victims house. I was. In Doha, I was. At the Muslim Summit, I had a chance to meet with several Arab leaders. I believed the bargain was appropriate. Even so, I believed we had Hamas ‘ acceptance. That could just be me getting duped, I suppose. I believed we were there, but it appears we weren’t, according to Witkoff, in response to a question about bringing victims back to home and about the package during his March 12 attend to Doha.
Five life hostages would be exchanged for Israeli security prisoners as part of the proposal’s extension of the ceasefire until April 19. Israel accepted the conditions and offered to release 11 living captives. Hamas stayed true to the original deal’s conditions, which were supposed to kick off its next phase at the beginning of March.
However, for a month, Israel resisted entering discussions regarding phase two’s specific terms because the stage’s public mandate calls for a complete withdrawal from Gaza and appointing a permanent end to the conflict.
Witkoff acknowledged Israel’s aversion to step two by submitting his bridge plan earlier this month.
On March 14, Hamas offered to launch one alive American-Israeli prisoner and the remnants of four US-Israelis. Witkoff criticized the response as absurd. After two weeks, the peace was broken when Israel resumed its defense activities four days later.
Witkoff emphasized the importance of US support for Israel, citing Hamas’s potential for demilitarization, and backing the plan for a 40- to 50-day peace. He remained open to further discussions, noting that the events were still speaking despite the new warfare.
” This is Hamas,” The State of Israel is supported by the United States. That’s a determination of all kinds,” Witkoff told Fox. We’ve said that Hamas had every chance to mobilise and to take the bridge proposal that would have allowed for a 40- or 50-day ceasefire in which to discuss demilitarization and a final ceasefire. They had a variety of options for doing that, but they chose not to.
He continued,” This ( war ) becomes the alternative, and it is unfortunate.”
According to fight health authorities, the US conducted major strikes on March 15, reportedly killing older Houthi leaders and 53 people. Following Hamas ‘ October 7 assault that resulted in 1, 200 deaths and 251 victims, the Houthis have continued their problems on Israel since November 2023.
The Houthis have attacked boats without any Jewish associations, despite their claims that they are trying to attack Israeli-linked arteries. During the Israeli-Hamas peace in January, their attacks ceased.
