Hamas Response to Gaza Ceasefire Proposal ‘Consistent’ with Principles of US Plan, Leader Says

Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)
Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)
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Hamas Response to Gaza Ceasefire Proposal ‘Consistent’ with Principles of US Plan, Leader Says

Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)
Palestinians attend Eid al-Adha prayer in Khan Younis town, southern Gaza strip, 16 June 2024. (EPA)

Hamas' response to the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal is consistent with the principles put forward in US President Joe Biden's plan, the group's Qatar-based leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech on the occasion of the Islamic Eid al-Adha on Sunday.

"Hamas and the (Palestinian) groups are ready for a comprehensive deal which entails a ceasefire, withdrawal from the strip, the reconstruction of what was destroyed and a comprehensive swap deal," Haniyeh said, referring to the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

On May 31, Biden laid out what he called a "three-phase" Israeli proposal that would include negotiations for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as phased exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Egypt and Qatar - which along with the United States have been mediating between Hamas and Israel - said on June 11 that they had received a response from the Palestinian groups to the US plan, without giving further details.

While Israel said Hamas rejected key elements of the US plan, a senior Hamas leader told Reuters that the changes the group requested were "not significant".



Sisi Urges Government to Complete Reforms, Alleviate Citizens’ Burdens

The Egyptian President calls on the government to complete the “reform” path (Egyptian Presidency)
The Egyptian President calls on the government to complete the “reform” path (Egyptian Presidency)
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Sisi Urges Government to Complete Reforms, Alleviate Citizens’ Burdens

The Egyptian President calls on the government to complete the “reform” path (Egyptian Presidency)
The Egyptian President calls on the government to complete the “reform” path (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on the new government to complete the path of economic reform at all levels and focus on alleviating the burden on citizens.
On Wednesday, the new Egyptian government, headed by Dr. Mostafa Madbouly was sworn in before the president. Comprising 30 ministers, the new cabinet saw the merging of some ministries and the introduction of new ones, especially the economic portfolios.
During the meeting, Sisi stressed “the importance of achieving a tangible breakthrough in the service fields, especially health and education”.
He “emphasized the need to build and develop the Egyptian industry, as a strategic goal in the process of building the state,” according to an official statement by the Egyptian presidential spokesman.
Sisi has also asked the new government to “seek to attract internal and external investments and encourage the growth of the private sector in order to improve the state’s comprehensive financial and economic performance and achieve the aspirations of the Egyptian people for development and progress.”
The new government witnessed the merging of the Ministries of Transport and Industry into one portfolio headed by Kamel al-Wazir, who also assumed the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Industry Affairs.
Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said that Sisi underlined the importance of comprehensive development of policies and government performance that would be key to face the upcoming challenges.
The Egyptian president also asked his government to “maintain and strengthen efforts to preserve Egyptian national security, in light of unprecedented regional and global challenges.”