Tel Aviv, Mar 2 (UNI) The United States proposed a new plan for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, since it is currently impossible to overcome the differences between Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas regarding a complete end to the war, and Israel agrees to the new plan, while Hamas has so far refused, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The statement was issued immediately after the expiration of the agreed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which lasted 42 days.
"Following a security discussion chaired by Prime Minister Netanyahu and attended by the Defence Minister, senior Defence Ministry officials and the negotiating team, it was decided that Israel will accept the plan of US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff for a temporary ceasefire for the periods of Ramadan and Passover," the office said in a statement.
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan this year began at sunset on February 28 and ends on March 29, while the Jewish holiday of Passover will be celebrated from April 12 to 19.
The plan calls for the release of half of the Israeli hostages, both alive and dead, from the Gaza Strip on the first day of its implementation, and if an agreement on a permanent ceasefire is reached, all remaining abductees, both alive and dead, will be released.
"Witkoff proposed this plan to extend the ceasefire after he concluded that at this stage it was not possible to overcome the differences between the parties to end the war and that additional time was needed to negotiate a permanent ceasefire," Netanyahu's office emphasised.
The prime minister's office emphasised that while Israel had agreed to the new US plan for the return of the abductees, Hamas had so far refused to accept this scheme.
"If Hamas changes its position, Israel will immediately enter into negotiations on all the details of the Witkoff plan," the office of the Israeli prime minister concluded.
The new plan also includes US agreement that Israel could resume hostilities after 42 days if it deemed negotiations for a permanent ceasefire ineffective, the office said.
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