Hamas, against President Biden's plan for peace

2024-06-05 19:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Palestinian militant group Hamas announced that it will not support the peace plan without a clear position from Israel on a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza. According to VOA White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara, Hamas' decision comes after Israeli leaders vowed to continue military operations until Hamas is destroyed, despite the cease-fire proposal that US President Joe Biden made public last week.

As Israel continues its military operation in Gaza, efforts to secure a ceasefire are running into obstacles.

Qatar, which is mediating on behalf of Hamas, said there is a lack of clarity from the two sides fighting each other.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said that under the current circumstances there is little hope.

"We are seeing contradictory statements from Israeli government cabinet ministers. The statements of the two parties do not give us much hope for the process ," he says.

Israeli leaders vowed to continue military operations against Hamas until it is destroyed, despite a cease-fire proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden last week. In an interview, Mr. Biden appeared to agree with claims that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dragging out the war to woo his right-wing base, but when asked Tuesday if the Israeli prime minister was doing so for political reasons, President Biden denied this claim.

"I do not believe. He is trying to solve this serious problem," said President Biden.

The cease-fire plan begins with a six-week temporary suspension of fighting in exchange for the release of some hostages held by Hamas, and is intended to move toward a permanent cease-fire.

As Israel's guarantor in the negotiations, the United States says it expects both sides to make additional demands, but is confident Israel will stick to its obligations under the deal.

White House Homeland Security spokesman John Kirby told VOA that the United States expects Israel to adhere to the proposal.

"We expect that Israel will continue to support the proposal because it is about their proposal. And it is in Israel's interest. Even Hamas. They say they want the war to end. This is the way to end this war", he says.

While Palestinians continue to face daily destruction and death, not everyone shares the optimistic view of the US administration, including a former US Middle East negotiator.

"My prediction is that even if both sides accept this proposal - which still remains an open question, given the political dimension, especially in Israel - it will take a lot of luck to fulfill the first phase of the proposal. But beyond this stage, I see no possibility of progress", Mr. Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace told VOA.

President Biden has secured support from the international community, including for a Security Council resolution supporting the ceasefire proposal.

The US resolution does not include the request made to Israel to end operations in Rafah, which is part of another Security Council resolution proposed by Algeria.

"Most members of the Security Council want the immediate stop of the operation in Rafah. But if the United States manages to convince the other members of the Security Council that their proposal is a sustainable path to a ceasefire, including the ceasefire in Rafah, then I believe that the other members of the council will compromise," says expert Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.

But as the number of civilian casualties continues to rise, the prospects for a ceasefire agreement seem dim for now./ CNA