Politics Israel examines new Hamas proposal for hostage deal
In the tough negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israel says it is examining a new proposal from the Islamist Hamas.
The mediating states USA, Qatar and Egypt had presented the Israeli negotiating team with a draft compromise from the terrorist organization, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Wednesday. Israel would now examine the proposal and then submit its response to the mediators.
Hamas announced that it was exchanging "some ideas" with the mediators in order to achieve an end to the war in the sealed-off coastal strip. The content of Hamas' proposal and the extent to which it deviates from the plan last discussed was not initially known.
"Our goal is to end the war and achieve a complete withdrawal (of Israeli forces) from the Gaza Strip," the newspaper "The Times of Israel" quoted from a statement by the Islamists. Hamas is flexible in its demands, while Israel is trying to "deceive and evade".
Indirect negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas have been going on for months - so far without success. The three-stage plan for a ceasefire presented by US President Joe Biden at the end of May also failed to bring about a breakthrough.
The plan initially envisaged a temporary ceasefire during which female, elderly and sick Israeli hostages would be released. In return, Palestinians imprisoned in Israel were to be released. In the next phase, the fighting would then be permanently halted and the remaining hostages would be released. According to the draft, reconstruction of the Gaza Strip would have begun in a final phase.
Israel: war will only end when Hamas is destroyed
The UN Security Council supported the proposal and adopted a corresponding resolution. However, Hamas demanded a number of changes. For example, the Islamists demanded a permanent ceasefire as a first step, which Israel's government rejected. It has always emphasized that the war will only end when Israel has achieved all its goals, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages.
Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups attacked southern Israel on October 7, murdering 1,200 people and taking another 250 hostage in the Gaza Strip. The unprecedented massacre triggered the Gaza war, which, according to Palestinian figures that are difficult to verify, has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people. 120 hostages are still believed to be in the sealed-off coastal strip, but many of them are probably no longer alive.
"I meet relatives of the hostages almost every day. I hear their worries, their fear that they and their loved ones could be forgotten, and I tell them: We do not forget at any moment. The people of Israel do not forget at any moment," said Israeli President Isaac Herzog yesterday. "The entire nation wants their return and a clear majority supports a hostage deal. It is the duty of the state to bring them back."
Relatives of the hostages abducted to the Gaza Strip accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu's government of not being determined enough to press ahead with indirect negotiations with Hamas. They assume that the head of government wants to show consideration for his ultra-religious and far-right coalition partners, who strictly reject any dialog with the Islamists.
SDA
