Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday that Israel will send a delegation to restart stalled talks with Hamas regarding a hostage release agreement, as announced by both administrations.
A member of the Israeli negotiation team, who spoke anonymously, expressed optimism about reaching a deal following Hamas’s revised terms. “The proposal from Hamas represents a significant breakthrough,” the source indicated.
This development contrasts sharply with previous responses during the ongoing nine-month conflict in Gaza, where Israel found Hamas’s conditions unacceptable. This time, Israel conveyed its more favorable response through mediators.
The negotiations will be led by the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, as stated by an Israeli official.
Netanyahu planned to meet with his negotiation team later that Thursday and then discuss the developments with his security cabinet, according to his office.
During a phone call between Biden and Netanyahu, the White House welcomed the Israeli Prime Minister’s decision to empower his negotiators to work with U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediators to finalize the agreement.
Netanyahu reiterated in the call that Israel’s military actions in Gaza would continue until all its strategic goals were met.
“The chance of a deal coming to fruition is real,” the Israeli negotiation team source stated, although cautioning that political dynamics could still disrupt the process.
Some of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have threatened to leave the government if the conflict ends without the complete defeat of Hamas, a move that could potentially end Netanyahu’s term as Prime Minister.
Hamas’s Flexibility and Proposed Terms
On Wednesday, Israel received a response from Hamas to a proposal initially put forward by President Biden at the end of May. This proposal included the release of about 120 hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.
A Palestinian official involved in the mediation process told Reuters that Hamas had shown willingness to adjust certain terms to enable a framework agreement, pending Israel’s approval.
However, Hamas insists that any agreement must culminate in the end of the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel, on the other hand, is only open to temporary ceasefires until Hamas is fully neutralized.
The proposed agreement involves a phased release of Israeli hostages and a gradual retreat of Israeli forces, followed by the release of Palestinian prisoners. The final phase would focus on reconstructing Gaza and returning the remains of deceased hostages.
The location for resuming negotiations was not specified, though previous talks were mediated by Egypt and Qatar in both countries.
Human Cost and Local Reactions
As of Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry reported that the Palestinian death toll from the nearly nine-month-long conflict had surpassed 38,000, with over 87,000 wounded.
The conflict erupted on October 7 when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages taken back to Gaza.
In Gaza, locals expressed cautious hope about the potential restart of negotiations. Youssef, a displaced father of two in Khan Younis, shared his fatigue with the ongoing war, emphasizing the urgent need for peace. “We hope this is the end of the war. We are exhausted and can’t bear more setbacks,” he said.
On the same day, an Israeli airstrike targeted a school in Gaza City, killing five and injuring others, while additional strikes in Gaza City’s old town resulted in further casualties. The Israeli military stated it was targeting Hamas’s military and administrative capabilities and claimed to adhere to international law by minimizing civilian casualties. Meanwhile, Israeli tanks shelled areas around Khan Younis but had not advanced further as of the latest reports.
