Unconditional end to the fighting
Hamas makes new demands on hostage deal
May 3, 2024, 7:32 a.m
Negotiations are currently underway between Israel and Hamas regarding a hostage agreement and a possible ceasefire. Israel presents an initial offer. But now the terrorist organization is making new demands. Those that Israel has actually already rejected.
According to a media report, the leader of the Islamist Hamas in the embattled Gaza Strip, Jihia al-Sinwar, still has three demands in the current offer to negotiate a hostage deal. He continues to demand a guaranteed end to the war, a source close to the Hamas leader told the Israeli television channel Channel 12. Israel has so far rejected this. Sinwar reportedly wants a written commitment for an “unconditional end to the fighting.”
According to the broadcaster, the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip is also demanding that Israel not prevent the return to the West Bank of Palestinian prisoners who are to be released from prisons in return for the hostages kidnapped from Israel. Israel wants to send those serving life sentences to the Gaza Strip or abroad, according to the latest draft deal.
The Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip also wants details about materials that Israel does not want delivered to the coastal area for reconstruction. The Israeli broadcaster speculates that Sinwar wants to ensure that Hamas can rebuild its tunnels and other military infrastructure. According to the report, there is a perception in Israel that Hamas will not give a clearly negative response to the proposal due to international pressure.
Fight against disagreements
Due to the tense negotiations, Israel assumes that Hamas will reject an offer that has already been made, reports the “Times of Israel”. The offer calls for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire, but not a complete end to all fighting.
The Egyptian mediators, with US support, are currently trying to overcome the disagreements. The Islamist organization Hamas had previously announced that it would send another delegation to Egypt to conclude the ongoing, indirect negotiations with Israel on an agreement to release hostages and a ceasefire. According to the state-affiliated Egyptian television channel Al-Kahira News, a Hamas delegation is expected to arrive in Cairo within the next two days to continue negotiations.
The Israeli government has announced a rapid start to a controversial offensive in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt, if an agreement is not reached.