“Hamas has welcomed the ceasefire proposal in Gaza and we now await Israel's response.” This was stated by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who is visiting Madrid today.
The Egyptian minister reiterated that Cairo opposes an Israeli presence at the Rafah border, between the Egyptian Sinai peninsula and the Gaza Strip. “It is difficult for the Rafah Pass to continue to function without a Palestinian administration,” Shoukry noted.
Netanyahu, “Timed truce for hostages and then we will discuss”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that “the proposed agreement includes a temporary ceasefire for the release of the hostages.” Then, quoted by the media, he added that the outline presented by Biden “is partial because there are other details that have not been published”. “The war – he however specified – will be stopped in order to return the kidnapped ones and then we will discuss”.
Tajani, we support US mediation for Gaza
“We support with great conviction” the plan for the ceasefire in Gaza announced by the president of the United States, “because it is time to finally arrive at this ceasefire that will allow the release of the hostages and bring aid to the Palestinian civilian population”. Foreign Minister Antonmio Tajani said this in the studio on Sky News 24. “We support this mediation and we hope that Israel and Hamas will agree at least on this first attempt to suspend the war”, added Tajani.
Gantz to Blinken, the return of the hostages is the priority
Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, says on ://gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/mondo/2024/06/03/il-ministro-degli-esteri-dellegitto-hamas-ha-accetto-la-proposta-degli-usa-per-il-cessate-il-fuoco -b006cce3-0d27-442f-8b77-74a373fb4797/.”I spoke yesterday – says Gantz – with US Secretary of State Blinken about efforts to secure an agreement for the restitution of the hostages. I emphasized to him that the State of Israel is committed to return of the hostages and considers it not only a superior moral responsibility, but also a priority in the war timetable. We intend to do everything necessary to exhaust every opportunity to achieve the objective ensure the implementation of the agreement proposed by Israel”.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in a phone call with Blinken, in turn told the US secretary of state that Israel is determined to dismantle Hamas and find an alternative to govern Gaza. The Times of Israel reports it.
“As part of any development process, Gallant emphasized Israel's commitment to dismantling Hamas as a governmental and military authority. In this regard, he discussed the issue of identifying and enabling the emergence of a local governance alternative,” we read in the statement released by his office.