After a two-week wait, Hamas has demanded a price for handing over to Israel the 136 remaining hostages in Gaza, 31 of whom are already dead. According to a draft of its counter-proposal consulted by Portal, Hamas is seeking a 135-day ceasefire in which it would release the hosts in stages in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the entire Gaza Strip, the entry of others humanitarian aid, the beginning of the reconstruction of the territory and the indirect negotiation of a final end to the war. This is the document that Hamas handed over to mediators on Tuesday and that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss with Israeli leaders on Wednesday during his visit to the region.
The Lebanese daily Al Ajbar provides details in an appendix that go beyond the situation in Gaza. Hamas wants the ploy to be guaranteed not only by current mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States, but also by two countries closer to the Palestinians: Turkey and Russia. It also suggests a return to the situation at Jerusalem's Temple Mount before 2003, when Ariel Sharon's government again – without the green light from the Jordan-dependent foundation that manages the site – allowed non-Muslims to enter, as is now the case is exploited by ultranationalist Jewish groups.
The ceasefire would be implemented in three 45-day phases. In the first step, Hamas would extradite women, men under 19 and over 50, and the sick, in exchange for the release of Palestinian women and children at a rate to be determined later. The Israeli army, which is currently operating intensively in Khan Younis, Gaza's second largest city, would have to withdraw from urban areas. Then it would be the turn of the male hostages and the Israeli troops would have to leave all parts of the Gaza Strip. This second phase would only begin once the parties had agreed through mediators on “the necessary conditions” for a final end to the war.
Eventually, Hamas would hand over at least 31 bodies in its hands. Some were returned lifeless by their militiamen during the October 7 attacks, knowing full well that Israel has paid a price in the past for returning hostages, dead or alive. Others, whose number cannot be determined, may have lost their lives in the Israeli bombing itself or in other ways.
Hamas has demanded the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal. Israel does not provide official figures, but human rights and prisoners' NGOs estimate the number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons at between 9,000 and 10,000, following a wave of arrests in Gaza and the West Bank following the October 7 attacks. Hamas also wants to select a third of the names from among those serving life sentences.
According to Al Ajbar, the Islamist movement demands that Gazans have freedom of movement between different parts of the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire and that the sick and wounded be allowed to leave the country through the Rafah crossing for treatment in Egypt. It also calls for the construction of temporary shelters and large tent camps for displaced people at a rate of 50,000 per week; that Israel commits to resuming electricity and water supplies (as it is obliged to do under international law), and that Palestinians with Israeli citizenship are among those released from prison.
The proposal was sent to Blinken on Tuesday. The US official was in Doha and is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday. A press conference is scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv later in the day. US President Joe Biden called Hamas's proposal “somewhat exaggerated” and Blinken admitted that “there is still a lot of work to be done”, although he was optimistic. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called it “positive” without going into details.
Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency involved in the indirect negotiations, is reviewing the contract “thoroughly,” the prime minister's office said. Israel has not yet officially responded, although an official source quoted by the daily Maariv was less optimistic than the mediators: “Hamas has given its answer and it is 'no'.”
Netanyahu has refused to end the war in exchange for the hosts' return, believing it would only achieve one of the three goals he set for the war: the other two are to “eliminate Hamas “, both political (did it). Governing Gaza since 2007) and militarily and “ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel.” The Israeli prime minister has often repeated his stance: “We will not remove the IDF from the Gaza Strip and we will not release thousands of terrorists .” None of this will happen. What will happen? Absolute victory!” he said on January 30th. The exchange, which took place in the last week of November, saw the release of 105 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The ceasefire negotiations threaten the stability of the Israeli government at a time when calls for early elections are growing: 38% of the population want them to be held “when the war is over” and 33% in three months, when that is legal According to the latest Voice of Israel Index, a survey released Tuesday by the Israel Institute for Democracy, at least 2.5 million people would have to hold elections if they were called today.
Netanyahu's ultranationalist allies are threatening to quit the government if the exchange goes ahead on the terms under which it is being considered. On the contrary: the opposition is urging Netanyahu to accept it, as are voices from the national unity government that was formed specifically for the war. From the outside, former Prime Minister Yair Lapid has offered Netanyahu an unconditional “safety net” to advance the exchange, either by joining the coalition to compensate for the departure of the ultra-right or through his votes in parliament.
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