12/21/2023-|Last update: 12/21/202304:17 AM (Mecca time)
The Israeli press reported details of an offer made by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to the mediators regarding a temporary truce in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal, while Hamas refused to enter into negotiations before the ceasefire.
The Israeli Channel 13 reported that the Netanyahu government had presented a deal that included the release of 30 to 40 Israeli detainees held by Hamas, in exchange for the release of prominent prisoners and a partial withdrawal from some areas, with a calm for a period of two weeks to a month.
The officials indicated that if the deal is completed during the transition to the next phase, Israel may change some of the military arrangements inside Gaza.
These officials said that Israel has no problem with Hamas linking the “military change” to the deal and considering it an achievement.
For its part, the White House said that the talks on a new truce in Gaza are very serious, and stressed that Washington is pressing for the release of Israeli detainees.
The Israeli newspaper “Jerusalem Post” said that Israel informed Qatar that it is ready for a truce for at least a week, in exchange for the release of 40 detainees held by Hamas.
The newspaper quoted senior Israeli officials and a foreign source as saying that Israel sent a proposal via Qatar to Hamas to reach a new agreement to release the hostages.
precondition
On the other hand, Al Jazeera learned from sources close to the prisoner exchange negotiations between Israel and Hamas that the latter informed the mediators that it is not ready to discuss any humanitarian or comprehensive deal without a ceasefire.
The sources also confirmed that the current visit of the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, to Cairo does not fall within the framework of prisoner negotiations, but rather within the framework of seeking to lift the siege on Gaza and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, especially since Ghazi Hamad, who is responsible for the crossings in the Gaza Strip, is among the delegation.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Hamas refused to discuss the Israeli offer before a complete ceasefire in Gaza.
Meetings in Warsaw
This comes after CIA Director William Burns traveled to the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Monday to meet with David Barnea, director of the Israeli intelligence service (Mossad), and the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, according to American and Egyptian officials.
An American official said that the meetings are an attempt to resume discussions about the prisoners.
Yesterday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog confirmed that the Mossad chief had been sent twice to Europe to reactivate the humanitarian truce to free the prisoners.
Israeli Channel 12 also reported that important, serious and in-depth talks are taking place regarding the details of the hostage deal, but an agreement is not imminent, while Israeli Channel 13 quoted an informed official, saying that the costs of the new deal are likely to be high for Israel.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani informed Mossad chief David Barnea that Hamas’ condition for renewing negotiations is to stop the war.
Barnea said in response that the war will not end until Hamas lays down its weapons and hands over all those responsible and involved in the “October 7 massacre.”
Qatari efforts succeeded in pushing the two sides to sign a temporary humanitarian truce that began on November 24 and lasted for 7 days, during which prisoners of women and children were exchanged.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies + Israeli press
#Prisoner #exchange…an #Israeli #offer #leaked #Hamas #refuses #negotiate #stopping #war
2023-12-20 23:11:53
