[
Based on folks acquainted with the talks, Hamas is not demanding that Israel instantly conform to a everlasting ceasefire in trade for starting hostage and prisoner exchanges.
Hamas's new proposal would permit for the discharge of hostages in trade for a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from elements of the Gaza Strip, in addition to the discharge of prisoners. By modifying the calls for for an entire cessation of hostilities, the brand new proposal might probably restart negotiations.
The White Home welcomed Hamas's new proposal and confirmed that talks would quickly resume in Doha, Qatar, though with out the presence of the US delegation. Nationwide safety communications adviser John F. Kirby stated, “We’re cautiously optimistic that issues are shifting in a very good path however that doesn't imply it's finished and now we have to carry on to this to the top.” For the White Home.
The US is pressuring Hamas to renew talks and scale back its calls for. Numerous negotiating groups are making extra guarantees of humanitarian assist to Gaza and making imprecise threats to shut Hamas' political workplace in Doha.
Whereas publicly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was dismissive of the brand new proposal, different Israeli officers have reacted extra positively, noting that final week Hamas refused to supply phrases for a hostage swap. Had given.
Negotiators, together with senior Israeli intelligence officers, are anticipated to reach in Doha on Sunday morning, in line with an official within the area.
Saying he didn’t wish to negotiate from the White Home platform, Mr. Kirby recommended that the Hamas proposal matches into the framework that Israel, Qatar, Egypt and america agreed to in talks in Paris final month .
“I might say that the proposal that was put ahead is definitely – broadly talking – throughout the vary of the deal that now we have been engaged on for a lot of months,” he stated. “However the satan is within the particulars.”
One other US official and official within the area stated that though there was a have to bridge the hole between the opponents, the brand new proposal was the primary constructive step in a while, and it was vital that Hamas was not searching for a everlasting ceasefire.
Within the first part of the settlement, below Hamas' proposal, Israeli troops would withdraw towards central Gaza, permitting some civilians to return to their properties, in line with an Israeli official briefed on the proposal.
Below the Hamas proposal, Israel must conform to launch extra Palestinians from jail than the US-backed proposal.
The preliminary hostage trade will embrace 35 males who’re outdated, sick or injured, along with the remaining 5 feminine hostages. Hamas is demanding the discharge of 350 Palestinian prisoners for the lads. It desires 50 prisoners for every lady, together with 30 sentenced to life imprisonment. The sooner US-backed proposal stated 15 prisoners convicted of great acts of terrorism can be launched in trade for feminine prisoners.
The primary part will final for just a few weeks. In the course of the second part, male prisoners can be launched in trade for an extra cessation of hostilities. Based on the Hamas proposal, within the ultimate part, Hamas would return the our bodies of the executed hostages and Israel would ease the blockade of Gaza.
Israel has opposed any settlement to finish its navy marketing campaign. US officers are pushing to provoke exchanges in trade for a brief halt to the preventing as a result of it’s the solely formulation that may work.
Particulars of Hamas' proposal had been first reported by Al Jazeera.
The varied events had been discussing for a number of weeks a complete three-phase strategy to the discharge of all hostages held by Hamas and its allies, together with the our bodies of lifeless hostages. Israel and america wished to concentrate on the primary part of negotiations, which included the discharge of some hostages in trade for a lot of Palestinian prisoners. However as a part of these targeted talks, Hamas insisted that Israel decide to a everlasting ceasefire in spite of everything three phases, which grew to become a serious level of rivalry, as Israel has refused to simply accept it. .
Edward Wong Contributed reporting from Washington.