Hamas Agrees to UN Cease-fire Resolution as US Pushes for End to Gaza Conflict
Hamas has accepted a United Nations resolution supporting a plan to end the conflict with Israel in Gaza and is ready to discuss its details, a senior Hamas official announced on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called this development “a hopeful sign.”
Discussions on the postwar future of Gaza will continue over the next few days, Blinken said during his visit to Tel Aviv for talks with Israeli leaders. He emphasized the necessity of these plans.
Blinken’s visit comes in the wake of a United Nations Security Council approval of President Joe Biden’s truce proposal, which aims to halt the eight-month Israeli offensive in Gaza that has caused significant destruction. Both sides had previously maintained hard-line positions, complicating past mediation efforts.
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On Tuesday, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official based outside Gaza, indicated that Hamas had accepted the cease-fire resolution and was prepared to negotiate. He stated that it was now up to the US to ensure Israel complies. Abu Zuhri mentioned Hamas’ acceptance of a formula involving the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Blinken noted that while Hamas’ statement was promising, definitive confirmation from Hamas leadership inside Gaza is essential.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and abducting over 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent air and ground assaults have killed over 37,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip and around 300 Israeli soldiers according to the Israeli military.
The Hamas government does not separate Palestinian combatants from noncombatants in its reports of casualties but asserts that among approximately 25,000 identified fatalities, 59% have been women, children, and elderly people. Israel acknowledges that more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, and estimates that around 53% were noncombatants.
President Biden’s plan proposes a cease-fire and a phased release of hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. Israel has only agreed to temporary pauses, while Hamas insists on a guaranteed end to the conflict.
Blinken’s talks also covered plans for Gaza’s future, including security, governance, and reconstruction, and he emphasized the importance of continued consultations with regional partners.
