A senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presented a new proposed ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas to US President Joe Biden’s administration, according to an Israeli official. The proposal, put forth by Gal Hirsch, a close ally of Netanyahu who serves as Israel’s coordinator for hostages and the missing, aims to bring a permanent end to the conflict in Gaza.
The proposed deal includes the release of all hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Additionally, the plan involves the safe passage for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to be exiled out of Gaza. However, reactions to the proposal suggest that it may not be well-received by Hamas, as the group has not commented on it yet.
One key point of contention is the presence of Israeli troops in Gaza post-ceasefire and hostage deal, which remains unclear in the proposal. American officials also view the idea of Sinwar leaving Gaza as unlikely.
Despite these developments, a separate Israeli source familiar with the negotiations mentioned that the proposal is not currently being discussed among the Israeli negotiating team as a basis for new talks with Hamas, which have been at a standstill for weeks.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza last October, triggered by a deadly attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, there has been an escalation in cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah, part of the Iran-led axis in the Middle East that includes Yemen, Syria, Gaza, and Iraq, has been involved in a prolonged conflict with Israel and its allies over the past 10 months.
