Hamas refuses cease-fire as Israel continues military strikes on Gaza

An Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza Strip was observed from inside southern Israel, with IDF tank and APC present at the border fence area on April 3. The photo was taken by Jim Hollander/UPI.

Hamas has reportedly turned down an Israeli proposal for a six-week cease-fire, which would have required the group to give up its weapons while Israel continued military actions in Gaza. The plan did not include a commitment for Israeli troops to withdraw or for combat to stop, but it did demand that Hamas release half of the hostages it currently holds, along with disarming.

It is believed that only 24 out of the 59 hostages held in Gaza are still alive. Israel has not permitted any humanitarian supplies into Gaza for six weeks, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that this was to press Hamas into releasing hostages and extend the previous cease-fire that ended on March 1. Israel resumed attacks on March 18.

According to the BBC, Israeli warplanes targeted the gate of the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in al-Mawasi, a tented area holding displaced people in southern Gaza near Khan Younis. A security guard was reportedly killed, and nine others were injured.

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Tuesday that they had killed Muhammad al-‘Ajlah, identified as the “commander of a combat support company in the Shejaiya battalion throughout the war.” The IDF accused al-‘Ajlah of arming “the battalion’s terrorists with weapons used for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.”

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed on Monday that no supplies have been allowed into Gaza for six weeks. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported a surge in attacks causing “mass civilian casualties.”

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he spoke with Netanyahu and emphasized France’s commitment to Israel’s security. Macron highlighted the importance of releasing all hostages and disarming Hamas, stating that a cease-fire was crucial to achieving this. He also stressed the urgency of opening crossings to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Macron called for the restoration of the political idea of a two-state solution, which Netanyahu rejected. Netanyahu argued against the establishment of a Palestinian state, asserting that it would endanger Israel’s existence.