Hamas gives 'initial' support to Gaza truce plan as fighting rages
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00:00 Let's cross to France 24's senior reporter Claire Pacquialin in Jerusalem. Hi there Claire
00:05 So, can you tell us what know what more we know about this this possible deal?
00:09 Well, certainly the words of that Qatari foreign affairs official saying that there was initial approval on the part of Hamas that was
00:20 Seen in Gaza as a very positive signal. We even saw on some images of Gazans
00:27 Celebrating in the streets thinking that a ceasefire could be on its way
00:31 But since then we have been getting sources out of Hamas pouring cold water on that really saying that this deal is still very much
00:38 Being studied and of course, we don't know the exact details of what is in that deal
00:44 That is top secret, but we do know that it revolves around the release of the remaining
00:49 Israeli hostages in Gaza as well in return for the release of
00:55 Palestinian prisoners and of course a pause in the fighting the big questions are how long would that pause be?
00:59 Could be four weeks. It could be six weeks long and which
01:03 Palestinian prisoners would be released in the deal that we saw late last year when there was this hostage for prisoner
01:10 Exchange most of the Palestinians who were released were teenagers and women this time round
01:15 Hamas would really like to see higher profile prisoners released and that of course is a sticking point
01:22 Because here in Israel, there's pressure on the government
01:25 Some Israelis coming out saying they don't want to see a deal which would mean those high-profile
01:31 Palestinian prisoners are released back into the open and could pose a threat to to Israeli society
01:38 of course
01:38 You've also got the the families of many of those hostages saying any deal will do the priority of the government
01:45 Should be the release the safe return of those Israelis who is still being held in Gaza
01:51 But in the meantime Claire in any case the military campaign, of course
01:55 Continues the situation on the ground suggesting that Hamas is still far from being eradicated despite Israeli claims of progress
02:03 So what's going on on the ground?
02:05 So certainly well yesterday we saw the Israeli defense minister you have Golan he was on the ground in
02:13 Hanun is in the south of Gaza having an operational situation
02:17 Update with troops. He came out saying that progress and impressive results were being
02:23 Yielded and the Israeli troops will be pushing into Rafa. We understand that out of the 40,000 or so Hamas fighters
02:31 Israel believes that it is either killed or wounded half of them
02:36 So taking half of them out of operation that presumably means that 20,000 though are still
02:41 Operating and we are now seeing in the north of Gaza in the Al Shetty
02:45 Refugee camp some more Hamas fighters
02:48 Emerging in an area that Israel had hoped to have cleared
02:53 Well, of course
02:54 We know is that Israel would like to see like to show that it has the upper hand on the ground
02:59 Militarily because that would give it the upper hand in talks
03:02 Israel has always said that the reason Hamas came to the table late last year and agreed to that temporary ceasefire and again
03:09 the reason they may agree to this deal is if they want a bit of
03:14 Breathing space if they want to regroup their fighters and so Israel really wants to show that it has the upper hand
03:19 When it comes to the military perspective, but on the ground, it's a very mixed picture
03:25 And of course journalists are not able to get into Gaza at the moment
03:29 And so we can't see with our own eyes exactly what's happening
03:32 Claire pack a lot in Jerusalem. Thank you very much for that update
03:36 [BLANK_AUDIO]