Israel is studying Hamas’ response to a 60-day cease-fire proposal and the release of half of the hostages still organized in Gaza, two Israeli officials said on Tuesday, although a source has reiterated that all Israeli captives should be released for war.
The efforts to suspend the fighting took a new momentum during last week after Israel announced plans for a new offensive to take control of Gaza City in the heart of the Palestinian enclave.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar pushed the proposals to restart indirect talks between the sides on a ceasefire plan supported by the United States.
The proposals include the release of 200 Palestinian convicted people imprisoned in Israel and an unrecognized number of women and minors imprisoned, in exchange for 10 life hostages and 18 hostages deceased in Gaza, according to a Hamas official.
Two Egyptian security sources confirmed the details and added that Hamas also asked for the release of hundreds of Gaza prisoners.
Israel says that a total of 50 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of which are still alive.
“Israel’s policy is consistent and has not changed. Israel demands the release of the 50 hostages in accordance with the principles established by the cabinet to end the war. We are in the decisive final stadium of Hamas and will not leave any hostage,” said an Israeli political source.
The commentary, although categorical, failed an outright rejection of the proposal on the table.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to soon convene discussions on the cease-fire proposal, the two Israeli officials said. An answer was expected in the next two days, said a Palestinian source close to talks.
Before Hamas responded to the proposal on Monday, Netanyahu had excluded any agreement that excluded the return of all hostages.
Get daily national news
Get the best news of the day, the titles of political, economic and current affairs, delivered in your reception box once a day.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Majed Al Ansari, said that the 60-day truce agreement would include “a path to a complete agreement to end the war”.
The proposal includes a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, which currently control 75 Gaza and the entry of more humanitarian aid in the enclave, where a population of 2.2 million people are increasingly confronted with famine.
Israel had previously accepted the outline, advanced by the special envoy of the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, but the negotiations defeated some of its details. The last series of talks ended in an impasse at the end of July.
While the political level of Israel weighed an answer, the Minister of Defense Israel Katz met the commanders on Tuesday. The military correspondent for the public broadcaster Kan, Itay Blutaire, said that on X, the meeting had to approve plans to capture Gaza City.
The position cited four stages of the plans: Building humanitarian infrastructure in the southern band of Gaza, the evacuation of the city of Gaza, the fouling of Gaza City and the maneuvers in the city of Gaza.
Thousands of people fearing that an imminent Israeli soil offensive would have fled the region in recent days for points to the west and south on the broken territory.
On the ground, there was no sign of a ceasefire approaching while the Israeli shots, tanks and air strikes killed at least 20 Palestinians on Tuesday, according to Gaza health officials.
In a refuge by Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave, the displaced people had mixed feelings on the question of whether an agreement would be concluded this time.
“I expect the occupation (Israeli) to be obstinate, reject and receive proposals with negative answers – I expect the same thing for this proposal,” said Abdallah al -Khawaja.
The women sat down with wood fires cooking meals for their families, while men filled plastic gallons with water; Many hoped that Israel would approve the proposal.
“What I say and expects as a member of the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip, one of the mourning and inappropriate is that I expect a positive (Israel) response,” said Awad Labde.
In Israel, the threatened offensive prompted tens of thousands of Israelis on Sunday to organize some of the biggest demonstrations since the start of the war, urging an agreement to end the fighting and release the remaining hostages held in Gaza.
Netanyahu faces the internal political pressure of her far -right government partners who oppose a truce with Hamas. Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir asked to maintain war until Hamas defeat and annex Gaza.
Groups representing Israeli families of those who held hostage demanded their return to Israel and the end of the war.
The head of Hamas, Izzat El-Reshiq, said that the truce proposal that she had accepted was a provisional agreement that will open the way to negotiations at the end of the war.
A source close to talks said that, unlike the previous rounds, Hamas accepted the proposal without other requests.
But the prospects for acceptance of the end of the war seem distant, with remaining gaps on the terms. Israel demands that the group puts its weapons and its leaders to leave Gaza, conditions that Hamas has so far rejected publicly.
The war began when the fighters led by Hamas entered insurance in Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s offensive has since killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials who do not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants. The Israeli assault plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis and moved most of its population.
