A hostage-prisoner swap and cease-fire proposal Hamas said on Monday was acceptable had slight changes in wording from recent proposals submitted to the group by Israel and the United States, according to two officials familiar with the revised proposal.
Officials said the changes were made after consultations between Arab mediators and CIA Director William J. Burns, and the new version retained a key word for an eventual “sustainable calm” that would be a priority for all parties. The wording that was said earlier. They can accept it.
Two officials said Hamas’s response was serious and it was now up to Israel to decide whether to reach a deal. The proposal calls for Hamas to release hostages – women, the elderly and those in need of medical care – in exchange for a 42-day ceasefire and the release of a larger number of Palestinian prisoners, they said. Israel has searched for 33 hostages, but it is unclear how many women and elderly people are still alive and the first batch of hostages may eventually include the remains.
This will be the first of three phases of mutually beneficial action between the two parties. In a second phase, officials said, both sides would work to achieve “sustainable calm” that would include releasing more hostages. Both officials acknowledged that the warring sides could clash over the definition of “sustainable calm.”
A Middle Eastern official said Hamas believed the term meant the end of the war and that Israel would cease military operations and withdraw its troops from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to object to the definition, officials said.
An official said the negotiating parties agreed to the term “sustainable calm” weeks ago after Israel objected to any reference to a “permanent ceasefire.” Israeli officials have long said they oppose any agreement that explicitly calls for an end to the war.
Mr Burns is the main US representative in the negotiations and is working on proposals and counter-proposals in the region. Two officials said Qatari and Egyptian mediators discussed with him on Monday changes that Hamas was prepared to accept. Hamas said the changes were proposed by Arab mediators, but an official said the changes were suggested by Hamas. Burns is expected to attend talks in Cairo on Tuesday.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated that although the new proposal failed to meet Israel’s requirements, Israel would still send a working-level delegation to participate in the negotiations in the hope of reaching an acceptable agreement. A U.S. official said the purpose of the Cairo talks was to negotiate the amendments proposed by Hamas and discuss remaining issues.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said a Qatari delegation would also attend Tuesday’s talks and expressed “hope that the talks will culminate in an agreement on an immediate and permanent” ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchanges and “sustainable development”. ” Aid is flowing in throughout Gaza.
Israel announced on Monday that its war cabinet voted unanimously to continue military operations in Rafah to put pressure on Hamas. The announcement, and any offensive in the city, could jeopardize prospects for a deal. Netanyahu said last week he would launch an offensive in Rafah “with or without a deal.”
U.S. officials have said they oppose any such action if Israel does not have adequate plans in place to mitigate civilian casualties and humanitarian crises. An attack by the Israeli military east of Rafah on Monday appeared to be part of a smaller operation and not necessarily the opening act of a larger attack, a U.S. official said. More than a million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah as they flee other parts of Gaza from Israeli attacks.
Adam Rasgon Reporting from Jerusalem.
