Hamas considers new truce proposal, hostage return
New Delhi, Jan 30: Hamas leader of Gaza has acknowledged the receipt of a new proposal for a renewed truce and the return of hostages. The proposal, discussed at a meeting in Paris over the weekend, involved officials from Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, with Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau, receiving the details.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Hamas confirmed that they are currently studying the proposal and will respond based on their priority – a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The statement emphasized the urgency to halt the aggression and attacks on Gaza as part of any agreement.
Israel, on the other hand, has consistently stated its refusal to accept an indefinite cessation of hostilities. This comes amid reports that negotiators in Paris have reached a broad framework for a potential ceasefire and the release of hostages. CNN has previously reported on the progress made during the discussions in Paris over the weekend.
3 Killed in Israeli Special Forces Covert Operation in West Bank Hospital
In a covert operation, Israeli special forces, disguised as civilians, infiltrated the Ibn Sina hospital in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, resulting in the death of three Palestinian men. According to Hamas, the deceased individuals were fighters associated with the Jenin Brigades, an umbrella group comprising armed Palestinian factions in the West Bank. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the men were terrorists with ties to both Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Reports indicate that the disguised Israeli forces entered the hospital individually, making their way to the third floor where they killed the three individuals. The IDF, in a statement on Tuesday, said that the operation specifically targeted Hamas fighter Mohammed Jalamneh. The statement noted that Jalamneh had been actively involved in promoting significant terrorist activities and had taken refuge in the Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin.
The IDF also identified two brothers, Mohammed Al-Ghawazi and Basel Al-Ghawazi, as casualties of the raid, describing them as operatives involved in “terrorist” activities. The incident has raised concerns and drawn condemnation, with different narratives emerging from Israeli and Palestinian sources regarding the nature of those targeted in the operation.
41 percent of Gaza Population Affected: UN
The Israeli military has directed the evacuation of 41% of the Gaza Strip since December, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The ongoing division of the strip into numbered blocks has led to evacuation orders covering 1,158 square kilometres of Gaza, which was home to 1.38 million people before October 7.
As a result of these orders, 161 shelters have been established to accommodate approximately 700,750 internally displaced persons (IDPs), as reported by OCHA. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claims that these evacuation directives are issued to safeguard civilians amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
On Monday, the IDF “urged” residents of specific areas in western Gaza City, including Al-Nassar, Al-Sheikh Radwan, Al-Shati Refugee Camp, northern and southern Rimal, Sabra, Al-Sheikh Ajlin, and Tel Al-Hawa, to evacuate “for your safety” towards designated shelters in the south.
As of January 26, an estimated 1.7 million internally displaced people were reported in Gaza by OCHA, citing UNRWA. The ongoing conflict and successive evacuation orders have compelled some households to relocate from initially registered shelters. The situation continues to evolve as tensions persist in the region.
