Israeli officials have proposed a temporary truce, lasting up to two months, in return for the liberation of all hostages held in Gaza, according to statements made on Monday. This comes after intense discussions regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, particularly focusing on the hostage situation. The plan, which received approval from Israel’s war cabinet and involves coordination with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, aims to secure the release of over 130 hostages held by Hamas, as per two Israeli officials involved in the negotiations who spoke to Axios.
The initial phase of the hostage release would prioritize women, men over 60 years old, and those with critical health conditions or severe health issues. Subsequent stages of the plan would involve freeing hostages not connected to the Israel Defense Forces, followed by the release of Israeli soldiers and the remains of deceased hostages.
In reciprocation, Israel would commit to releasing Palestinian prisoners, with further negotiations planned to determine which individuals would be released. Previous agreements facilitated by Qatar saw Israel agreeing to release three prisoners for every hostage freed.
However, there are significant challenges to finalizing this deal. The proposed plan indicates that the ceasefire would be temporary, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrawing from major cities in the Gaza Strip to facilitate the return of Palestinians to their homes. The conflict would resume after the exchange is completed, as stated by Israeli officials.
Hamas has maintained that hostages will not be released until the war is completely halted and the IDF withdraws from the Palestinian enclave. Additionally, the proposal does not entertain the possibility of releasing all Palestinian prisoners, a stipulation that Hamas leadership has deemed essential for any agreement.
The suggested deal envisions a two-month period for the complete release of hostages, marking this as potentially the longest ceasefire in the conflict since a 10-day truce in November.
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One Response
This proposal reminds me of a joke where the peasant girl dreamed that she married the prince. Problem was that the prince did not dream that he married the peasant girl.
The Israelis made an offer to Hamas. Problem is that Hamas has a different dream.