CAIRO: Israel’s government said early on Sunday it supports a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza through Ramzan and Passover, though Hamas has insisted on negotiating the truce’s second phase instead.
The statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office came minutes after the first phase ended, and as talks have begun on starting the second phase that’s aimed at ending the war and seeing all remaining living hostages in Gaza returned home.
The statement gives new details on what Israel described as a US proposal: A ceasefire extension through Passover, or April 20. On the first day, half the hostages, alive and dead, would be released. The rest would be released if agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire.
The statement said it was proposed after US envoy Steve Witkoff got “the impression that at this stage there was no possibility of bridging the positions of the parties to end the war, and that more time was needed for talks on a permanent ceasefire”.
There was no immediate comment from Hamas, which earlier rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the ceasefire’s first phase by 42 days – doubling its length – saying it goes against the truce agreement, according to a member of the group who requested anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.