While Israel awaits a response from Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in Gaza, US President Joe Biden held telephone discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. According to the White House, Biden stressed during these interviews that only the release of the hostages would allow a ceasefire in Gaza. A delegation is expected to travel to Cairo today, hoping to return to Israel with a positive signal for continued negotiations.
Details of the proposal sent to Hamas have not been officially published, but Israeli sources cited a request for the release of 33 hostages, in contrast to the 40 women, elderly and seriously injured people demanded in recent months as part of talks to a humanitarian agreement. According to information, Hamas is ready to release 20 hostages, claiming as previously that it does not hold the number requested by Israel in this “category”.
Another obstacle to the agreement is the length of the truce that Israel would be willing to observe in exchange for the release of the hostages. Israel has expressed its willingness to accept a temporary 6-week ceasefire, but this period was linked to the request for the release of 40 hostages, and a new formula will be necessary.
During the negotiations, Israel signaled to Egypt that it was prepared to discuss, at a later stage, what was described as “long-term calm in the Gaza Strip”, subject to the return of all the hostages. This was intended to incentivize Hamas to sign the current agreement, the humanitarian agreement, and to create flexibility from the demand to immediately and broadly declare an end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
The main Israeli lever of pressure is the threat of a ground operation in Rafah. Although preparations for this operation are complete, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi believe it is possible to freeze it to conclude the agreement.
