Netanyahu's office accepts US plan to extend cease-fire in Gaza

Israel agrees to accept the plan of the special envoy of the president The United States on the Middle East by Steven Witkoff on the temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for the period of Ramadan and Passover. This was announced on March 2 at the office of the Prime Minister of the Jewish state, Benjamin Netanyahu.

"After discussing security issues under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Netanyahu and with the participation of the Minister of Defense, senior defense officials and a team of negotiators, a decision was made: Israel accepts Envoy Witkoff's plan for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan and Passover," the office said in a statement on the social network X (former. Twitter).

It is noted that the plan involves the release of half of the hostages, both living and dead, on the very first day. The remaining prisoners will be released upon reaching an agreement on a permanent cease-fire.

However, Netanyahu's office stressed that the Palestinian Hamas movement refuses to accept Witkoff's proposal.

"If Hamas changes its position, Israel will immediately begin negotiations on all the details," the office said.

In addition, Netanyahu's office added that the plan for a temporary ceasefire was proposed after it became clear that at this stage there was no way to bring the positions of the parties closer together for a full settlement of the conflict.

Phase two shift: Israel and Hamas plan to extend truce deal

At the same time, Tel Aviv refuses to fulfill one of the key conditions of the first stage of the agreements.

The day before, Al Mayadeen TV channel reported that Hamas negotiators were unable to convince the Israeli delegation to proceed with the discussion href="https://iz.ru/1847129/2025-03-01/smi-soobshchili-o-neudachnykh-peregovorakh-po-vtoromu-etapu-soglasheniia-po-gaze"> the second stage of the ceasefire agreement. It was clarified that Israel is trying to extend the first phase, subject to the release of a number of hostages. Negotiations on the second stage of the agreement began in Cairo on February 27. According to the Al Jazeera TV channel, the parties were going to discuss whether there is common ground for extending the truce.