Hamas accepted the deal but Israel said it was ‘far from’ fulfilling its demands. This is where the discussion stands

Hamas accepted the deal but Israel said it was ‘far from’ fulfilling its demands. This is where the discussion stands

Long-running diplomatic talks aimed at de-escalating the war appeared to be on the cusp of producing a cease-fire agreement in recent days, before stalling at the usual disappointing end.

Hamas said in a statement Monday that it had told Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence minister that it had accepted their proposal for a ceasefire deal for the hostages.

But Israel said the terms of the proposed ceasefire were “far from” meeting its demands, and warned it would continue military operations in Rafah. However, it sent a consultant to talk to the mediator.

Here’s what we know and where we stand.

‘Sustainable calm’: A deal proposed by Qatar and Egypt that Hamas says will be accepted begins with the release of 33 Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for 42 days and ends with the reconstruction of Gaza amid a “sustainable period of calm,” according to the document shared with CNN by a source in the region familiar with the negotiations.
Why Israel said no: A senior Israeli official and a senior US official said that Hamas had agreed to the proposed framework, which deviated from the proposal that Israel had been helping with Egypt. The latest proposal calls for an end to the war, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said he would not accept, the US official said.
What Hamas wants: According to a press release, Hamas said it will not back down from its demands in the latest proposal, which includes “a cease-fire, full withdrawal, dignified exchanges, reconstruction, and the lifting of sanctions.”
The bottom line: The most difficult part of the negotiations is the question of a permanent ceasefire and how to address that issue in the agreement, said one of the sources familiar with the discussions.
More talks on Tuesday: A Qatari delegation that is mediating the talks is in Cairo to resume indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, after Hamas sent feedback to mediators involved in the ceasefire proposal. Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry spokesman, Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, said the response “can be described as positive.”
Political pressure: Some Palestinians celebrated in the streets of Gaza after Hamas said it had approved the deal, while in Tel Aviv, some of the hostages’ families and their supporters pleaded with Israeli leaders to accept it.
Israel protests: Protesters marched down Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway on Monday night to demand a deal. “Now is the time to demand from the negotiating team and all international partners — don’t go back without a signed agreement!” Hostage Family Forum said in a statement.