(VOVWORLD) - A senior Hamas official said Tuesday that the Hamas movement will most likely respond to Israel’s ceasefire proposal, which it received through intermediaries, within 48 hours.
 A building destroyed after an Israeli airstrike on Gaza, April 13, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
In an interview with reporters, the official mentioned the time frame for sending a response to the intermediaries because Hamas is still conducting in-depth consultations within its leadership and consulting with resistance factions to build a unified stance.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he urged an end to the current suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that only a ceasefire in Gaza can free the remaining Israeli hostages. He also called for all humanitarian aid crossings to be opened to the Palestinians and advocated for the prospect of a political solution involving two states, Israel and Palestine, coexisting.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state, asserting that such a state would be a reward for terrorism. Netanyahu said no Palestinian official, including officials from the Palestinian Authority, has condemned the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities and over 250 hostages taken. This is part of the reason why the vast majority of Israelis openly oppose the idea of a Palestinian state.