Why is it in the news?
- Hamas has announced its acceptance of a ceasefire proposal presented by Egypt and Qatar, suggesting a potential breakthrough in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza.
More about the news
- The proposal outlines a three-stage truce, with each phase lasting 42 days.
- It entails the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, and an exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners.
| About Hamas
· Hamas is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist group and one of the two major political parties in the region. · It currently governs over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. · The group was founded in the late 1980s, following the onset of the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. · Hamas, as a whole, or in some instances its military wing, is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Israel-Palestine Conflict · It is a long-standing dispute between Israel and Palestine that commenced in the mid-twentieth century when Jews from various parts of the world were granted a homeland in present-day Israel by Britain. · It is one of the world’s lengthiest conflicts, with Israel occupying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which the state of Palestine claims. · Several attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the peace process by various groups of countries and the United Nations. · Over time, countries in the surrounding region have normalized ties with Israel through the Abraham Accord, Oslo Accord, etc. · However, the deadlock still endures, and the global community persistently strives to achieve the two-state solution.
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Current Conflict:
- Hamas’s assault follows months of escalating violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with intensified Israeli raids, Palestinian street attacks, and assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages.
- Israel regards the entirety of Jerusalem as its capital, not just a part of it. However, Palestinians disagree and instead seek it to be the capital of a future independent Palestine.
Way Forward:
- A two-state solution, facilitated by international organizations, is essential for lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.
- Israel’s rejection of the ceasefire proposal signals ongoing challenges, but it remains engaged in negotiations with Egypt to seek a resolution.
