Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in this handout picture released on January 21, 2024. Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS/ File photo
DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM — Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides’ differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, three sources said.
Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington, and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages – starting with civilians and ending with soldiers – in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and more aid to Gaza.
The latest round of shuttle diplomacy started on December 28 and has narrowed disagreements about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had first proposed a pause of several months, said one of the sources, an official briefed on the negotiations.
However, Hamas has since refused to move forward with the plans until the future conditions of a permanent ceasefire are agreed, according to six sources. Most of the sources consulted for this story requested anonymity to speak freely about sensitive matters.
While Israel has sought to negotiate one stage at a time, Hamas is seeking “a package deal” that agrees to a permanent ceasefire before hostages are released during the initial phase, said one of the sources, a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts. Israel and Hamas are speaking through the mediators, not talking directly.
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A White House spokesman said Tuesday that US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was in the region – for the second time in a week – for discussions about releasing hostages and that Washington would support a longer “humanitarian pause.”
The US State Department and White House, Qatar’s foreign ministry and Egypt’s State Information Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Two Egyptian security sources said that there was work underway to convince Hamas to accept a one-month truce to be followed by a permanent ceasefire. However, Hamas is requesting guarantees that the second phase of the deal would be carried out, in order to agree to the initial truce, the sources said.
The sources did not provide details of what such guarantees might consist of.
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Asked about the negotiations, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Monday the organization was open to discussing ideas but that no deal was yet in place.
“We are open to all initiatives and proposals, but any agreement must be based on ending the aggression and the occupation’s complete pullout from Gaza Strip,” said Abu Zuhri.
One offer by Israel is to end the war if Hamas removes six senior leaders from Gaza, said a seventh source, a senior Hamas official. However, Hamas “absolutely” rejected the proposal, he said.
The source said the list included the masterminds of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohamed al-Deif, who are Israel’s top targets to kill or capture in the war and are thought to be hiding deep within Hamas’ extensive network of tunnels beneath Gaza.
Reuters was not immediately able to confirm this proposal with Israeli sources. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined a request for comment about the proposal or the broader negotiations. According to recordings leaked to Israel’s N12 news network, Netanyahu said such a “surrender and exile” scenario was being discussed in early January.