FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
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ICYMI: HAMAS, PALESTINE ISLAMIC JIHAD REJECT ANOTHER PROPOSAL FOR CEASEFIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A week after rejecting Israel’s offer for a week-long temporary ceasefire in return for releasing additional hostages, the Hamas terrorist organization and the allied Palestine Islamic Jihad have rejected an Egyptian proposal requiring them to relinquish power in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, according to a new report from Reuters citing two Egyptian security sources.
According to the report, Egypt’s proposal would have resulted in the release of additional hostages, in addition to a permanent ceasefire, along with an overhaul of leadership in Gaza in favor of a technocratic administration with the interests of all Palestinians at heart. However, as the report indicates, Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad “rejected any concessions” other than hostage releases, which they have also separately rejected on their own.
It is believed that more than 100 innocent hostages, including many women, children, and elderly, are still being held in Gaza following Hamas’s deadly terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.
Just this week, Hamas rejected yet another ceasefire proposal that would have resulted in the release of additional hostages and its leadership reportedly asserted its readiness to “prolong the conflict” with Israel.
Key Excerpts
“The Egyptian sources said that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have been holding separate talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, had rejected offering any concessions beyond the possible release of more hostages seized on Oct. 7 when militants broke into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people.”
“Egypt proposed a “vision” rather than a concrete plan, also backed by Qatari mediators, that would involve a ceasefire in exchange for the release of more hostages, and lead to a broader agreement involving a permanent ceasefire…”
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