As the death toll in the war between Israel and Hamas rises and global pressure to de-escalate violence grows, international mediators are putting forward proposals for a new ceasefire. But both sides have staked out seemingly intractable terms, at least publicly, prompting diplomats to say they believe an agreement on a permanent ceasefire is still some way off.
In late November, as part of a week-long ceasefire, Hamas released more than 100 hostages kidnapped during its October 7 attack on Israel. In return, Israel released approximately 240 Palestinian prisoners and detainees and allowed more humanitarian aid to reach civilians in Gaza. Negotiators in Qatar hoped the pause could lay the groundwork for an end to the fighting.
But the ceasefire expired and Israeli forces have stepped up the war, which military officials say could last “many more months” as they pursue their goal of crushing Hamas. As fighting drags on, fears are growing that the conflict could expand, with Israel waging cross-border attacks with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Yemen-based Houthi fighters launching attacks against ships in the Red Sea, while US forces Ships they describe as Iranian ships bomb targets in Iraq and Syria.
With more than 20,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since Israel's military campaign began, mediators between the two sides continue to look for a way to contain the violence, according to Gaza health authorities. A barrage of reports of Israeli soldiers killed in the fighting – the military announced three more on Wednesday, bringing the total since Oct. 7 to 498 – has also shocked a country unaccustomed to mourning such losses .
The Egyptian government has floated a proposal that includes further exchanges of hostages and prisoners as a step toward a permanent ceasefire, according to three diplomats in the region who insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. However, diplomats warned that neither Israel nor Hamas would agree to such a proposal.
Israel's war cabinet discussed various ceasefire proposals on the table on Monday evening, including Egypt's, according to an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential deliberations. Publicly, Israeli officials have continued to tell the public to expect a long and difficult war.
In an opinion piece published Monday in the Wall Street Journal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his position that Hamas must be destroyed and Gaza must be demilitarized – statements that appeared to rule out any role for Hamas in postwar Gaza.
Still, domestic pressure on Mr. Netanyahu to work more aggressively to free the remaining hostages has increased since three Israeli prisoners were mistakenly killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza City this month.
In public statements, Hamas appeared to reject any agreement to release the remaining hostages unless it led to a lasting end to hostilities.
“Hamas is open to any initiative that leads to a comprehensive halt to aggression against our people,” the armed group said on its Telegram page on Tuesday evening. “Our people are not waiting for a short ceasefire that the occupation will break with more massacres,” she added, referring to Israel.
Since the start of the war, both sides have made tough public statements, even as talks have continued privately, often through the Qatari government, which brokered the ceasefire in November. Despite belligerent statements from some Israeli officials, the government has said it plans to move to a less intense phase of fighting to contain the fighting and limit damage to civilians after repeated pressure from the United States, its strongest ally.
Ron Dermer, a top adviser to Mr. Netanyahu, traveled to Washington on Tuesday and met with Jake Sullivan, President Biden's national security adviser. A White House official said that Mr. Dermer and Mr. Sullivan had discussed moving to a different phase of the war to “emphasize high-value Hamas targets,” efforts to free the remaining hostages and “planning for the Day after”. War, an indication of how Gaza would be governed if the fighting ended.
Isabel Kershner and Erica L. Green contributed reporting.
— Aaron Boxerman reporting from Jerusalem