Israel approved the US proposal to extend the truce in Gaza during Ramadan and Jewish Easter

Israel approved on Saturday the United States proposal to prolong the truce in Gaza during Ramadan and Jewish Easter that will be held in April, as announced by the office of the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Infobae

«Israel adopts the plan of the envoy of the US President, Steve Witkoff, for a high temporal fire during the periods of Ramadan», which will end at the end of March, «and of Lambsa», the Jewish Easter that will be held in mid -April, said the dependency in a statement, when expiring the first phase of the truce with the terrorist group Hamas without an agreement on the following stages.

According to Israel, Hamas has not yet accepted the Witkoff plan. «If Hamas changes its position,» says Netanyahu’s office, «Israel will immediately begin negotiations about all the details of the Witkoff plan.»

The truce entered into force on January 19 after more than 15 months of a conflict triggered by the brutal terrorist attack of Hamas on October 7, 2023 against southern Israel, the deadliest in the history of the country.

During these weeks, the terrorist group released 25 hostages and returned the bodies of eight to Israel, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli penitentiary centers.

The second phase of this truce should begin on Sunday with the aim of ending the release of hostages in Gaza and putting a definitive end to war.

Egypt, mediator of the agreement, announced on Thursday that the parties involved «initiated intense conversations» about the next stage with the presence of Israel delegations and the other mediating countries: Qatar and the United States.

However, on Saturday morning there were no consensus signs and Hamas spokesman, Hazem Qasem, declared that the group rejected «the expansion of the first phase in the formulation proposed by the occupation (Israel).»

Hamas’ armed arm spread images of a group of Israeli hostages in Gaza, accompanied by the message: «Only a high fire agreement will return them alive.»

The Office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reacted by stating that «Israel will not be intimidated by Hamas propaganda.»

Of the 251 people kidnapped during the Hamas attack, 58 continue in Gaza. The Israeli army considers that 34 of them are dead.