CAIRO – On Saturday, Hamas announced its readiness to release an American-Israeli captive and the remains of four other hostages, contingent on Israel adhering to the existing ceasefire terms in the Gaza Strip. The group labeled this offer as an “exceptional deal” meant to revive the faltering truce.
According to a senior Hamas representative, the intended talks concerning the ceasefire’s next stage must commence immediately after the release and should be wrapped up within 50 days. Additionally, they require Israel to cease blocking humanitarian aid and withdraw from a vital corridor on Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Furthermore, Hamas is seeking the release of more Palestinian detainees in trade for hostages, revealed the official, who preferred to stay anonymous due to the confidential nature of the discussions.
Among the detained is 21-year-old Edan Alexander from Tenafly, New Jersey, who was captured during a Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, marking the commencement of the current conflict and is the sole living American citizen still held in Gaza.
In a related development, a Palestinian authority indicated that Israel’s ban on fuel would incapacitate several wells across Rafah city in the south, significantly limiting drinkable water supplies.
Israel has expressed skepticism about the proposal from Hamas. At present, Israeli officials have not provided comments as government offices are observing the weekly Sabbath. On Friday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of engaging in “manipulation and psychological warfare” after the proposal’s initial presentation, prior to Hamas detailing its conditions.
The United States, on Wednesday, proposed lengthening the ceasefire by a few more weeks as part of ongoing efforts toward a permanent resolution. They asserted that while Hamas publicly professes flexibility, their private demands are deemed “entireily impractical.”
Discussions have been ongoing in Egypt after high-ranking Hamas representative Khalil al-Hayya’s arrival in Cairo on Friday. Egypt and Qatar have been pivotal as intermediaries with Hamas in finalizing this ceasefire and continue hosting dialogues to restore it.
Mediators have not yet provided comments.
Initially, the ceasefire agreement from January outlined a second round of negotiations wherein Hamas would liberate all remaining hostages in return for a permanent ceasefire, anticipated to commence in early February. However, only procedural talks have taken place.
Post the initial phase’s conclusion earlier this month, Israel accepted a new proposal from the U.S., suggesting Hamas release half of the remaining hostages for a broad agreement to negotiate a lasting ceasefire. Hamas rebuffed this proposal, accusing Israel of reneging on the agreed terms by attempting to derail the truce.
According to a Palestinian source, absence of fuel has halted water well operations.
Israel’s embargo on essentials such as food and fuel to around two million Gazans, coupled with cutting off electricity, is an attempt to urge Hamas to accept the new proposal. The city of Rafah, positioned on the Gaza-Egypt frontier, announced it cannot continue providing fuel necessary for water extraction from multiple city wells.
Rafah municipality’s head, Ahmed al-Sufi, stated that due to limitations caused by Israel’s blockade, the municipality had to “suspend essential services, endangering thousands of lives while exacerbating health and environmental crises.”
The truce’s first phase, effective from January 19, resulted in the liberation of 25 Israeli prisoners and the retrieval of eight more bodies in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces withdrew to a buffer zone near Gaza’s boundary, permitting an influx of humanitarian assistance.
Last month, an Israeli official announced that Israel does not intend to vacate the Philadelphi corridor, located at the Gaza-Egypt border, contradicting the ceasefire requirements. Concerns over preventing weapon trafficking were cited as their reasoning.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when militants spearheaded by Hamas launched an assault on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals, mostly civilians, and the capture of 251 hostages. Currently, the group holds 59 hostages, with 24 presumed to be alive, after most were released through previous ceasefire arrangements.
The Israeli military endeavors have cost over 48,000 Palestinian lives, predominantly women and children, the Gaza Health Ministry reports, though it does not differentiate between combatant casualties. Israel claims about 20,000 militants have been neutralized but offers no corroborative evidence.
The conflict has devastated extensive areas in Gaza, displacing the majority of the population and making nearly everyone reliant on international assistance for survival.
