Hamas requests 'unacceptable' changes to Gaza deal, PMO says
Israel has deemed the changes Hamas attempted to make to the recent proposal for a Gazaceasefire and hostage release agreement 'unacceptable,' the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement Saturday night.
'Following a situation assessment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed to respond positively to the invitation for proximity talks and to continue the negotiations for the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to,' the PMO said.
Israel's negotiation team will depart on Sunday to Qatar for negotiations
These 'close talks' with Hamas would be an attempt to close the remaining gaps between the parties and conclude the details of the hostage and ceasefire deal.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to leave Sunday for a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday.
Hamas recently said they discussed the current US-backed ceasefire-hostage deal framework with other Palestinian factions, and they were 'unified' in their 'positive' response to the proposal.
However, there seem to be several details in the response that have not been clarified yet.
Qatari outlet Al-Araby reported that Hamas requested 'minor amendments' to the plan, which mediators in Doha based on the Witkoff proposal.
Ynet reported that the three changes to the deal that Hamas is seeking regard aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of IDF troops, and a commitment to not resume fighting after the 60-day period ends.
On the last point, Hamas is reportedly demanding security guarantees from the US, Qatar, and Egypt.
In the deal, 10 live hostages are supposed to be released over the course of 60 days: eight on the first day and two more released on day 50. The bodies of 18 deceased hostages would be returned in three phases across the two-month ceasefire.
The Jerusalem Post originally reported that in exchange for the hostages, 125 Palestinian prisoners plus 1,111 Gazans arrested after October 7, 2023, would be released.
Hamas is reportedly demanding that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation be removed from the enclave and that the distribution of aid return to the format from previous ceasefires.
The Ynet report noted that the agreement, as originally seen by Hamas, only stated that 'aid will be distributed through agreed channels, including the UN and the Red Crescent,' and did not mention the GHF.
Hamas also allegedly is pushing for a segmented withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, which was outlined in an earlier version of the agreement.
However, the current Qatari-drafted agreement states that the IDF will redeploy its forces to 'maps to be agreed upon,' thus indicating some discrepancies.
In the original Witkoff framework, the IDF will redeploy to northern Gaza and the Netzarim corridor at the start of the ceasefire. However, after a week and pending the release of several hostages' remains, the military will pivot and redeploy to southern Gaza.
A military source told Ynet that 'during the ceasefire, the IDF will remain in the original perimeter set in the buffer zone, plus 250 meters into the Strip.' This implies a new buffer zone extending 1.2 to 1.4 kilometers into the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the army 'will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor.'
Within Gaza, there appears to be mutual support for the ceasefire deal.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that Hamas had informed it of the deal and that it was 'interested in progressing toward an agreement.'
Israel's security cabinet was meeting late Saturday night. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said that Hamas must be eliminated before any agreement and that Israel should encourage emigration from Gaza.
'It is time to stop the slogging in the Strip and strive for a quick resolution of Hamas, which is the ultimate goal of the war,' he said.
Similarly, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he would oppose any agreements that would end the fighting in Gaza.
'I can tell you with all my heart that it won't happen. I'm talking to Netanyahu about it, and I don't get the impression that he's on his way there,' Smotrich said.
However, Trump has said that he intends to be 'very firm' with Netanyahu about ending the war in Gaza during their meeting on Monday.
Relatives of hostages held captive in Gaza held rallies urging the government to seal a deal with Hamas for the release of their loved ones all at once.
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