Israel And Hamas Inch Towards Ceasefire, Hostage Release Deal

Hamas leaders were, on Friday, reported to be considering a ceasefire and hostage release proposal drafted earlier this week by intelligence officials from the U.S., Egypt, Qatar and Israel.

According to Reuters, an official from Qatar — which has been among the chief negotiators between the warring parties — had indicated that Hamas has been initially supportive of the deal.

The Qatari official told Reuters that there was no deal yet, however, “Hamas has received the proposal positively,” and that Qatar was waiting for a response.

The deal currently on the table would see Israel cease all military action in the Gaza Strip for six days while Hamas gathers and delivers all remaining civilian hostages to Israel.

Depending on the success of this phase, the ceasefire would be extended to allow for all female Israeli military personnel, and a third stage would see the release of male soldiers.

At the same time, Hamas is demanding the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Also Read: Israel, Hamas Consider Ceasefire Deal To Release Hostages – Benzinga

Netanyahu Stands Firm

While Israel was involved in the drafting of the deal, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was adamant this week that Israel would pursue its operations in Gaza until it has secured “absolute victory” against Hamas.

“We will not withdraw the Israeli military from the Gaza Strip and we will not release thousands of terrorists,” he said.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu on Friday criticized an executive order, signed on Thursday by President Joe Biden, imposing financial sanctions on Israeli settlers allegedly engaging in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The executive order said: “The situation in the West Bank — in particular high levels of extremist settler violence, forced displacement of people and villages, and property destruction — has reached intolerable levels.”

In support of the order, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, issued an alert to financial services companies related to the financing of alleged settler violence.

Defense Minister Sets Eye On Rafah

While military operations continued in Gaza City and Khan Younis on Friday, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggested the next target of operations could be city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt.

It is estimated that more than a million refugees from Gaza City and Khan Younis have been displaced to Rafah, according to a report in the Guardian. On Friday, it added, the United Nation’s humanitarian office described Rafah as a “pressure cooker of despair,” with many living in tents in unsanitary conditions.

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