Hamas said on Sunday it had no “major issues” after reviewing Israel’s latest proposal for a truce and hostage-release deal in the Gaza Strip.
A senior Hamas official told the AFP news agency that a delegation from the organization will arrive in Egypt on Monday to deliver the group’s response to Israel’s counterproposal.
“The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles,” said the Hamas official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“There are no major issues in the observations and inquiries submitted by Hamas regarding the contents” of the proposal, the official added.
Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire as a condition to release hostages, but Israel has rejected.
However, the Axios news website, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israel’s latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss the “restoration of sustainable calm” in Gaza after hostages are released.
A Hamas source close to the negotiations had told AFP the group “is open to discussing the new proposal positively” and is “keen to reach an agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire, the free return of displaced people, an acceptable deal for (prisoner) exchange and ensuring an end to the siege” in Gaza.
Last week, it was reported that Israel’s offer to Hamas is for the release of 33 hostages.
According to the reports, Israel will not declare the end of the war. Channel 12 News reported that the price for the deal that Israel will pay will be very heavy, but the military censor is not permitting further details to be published at this time.
Earlier on Sunday, the Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that in recent days the US and Egypt have increased the pressure on Hamas to agree to a deal to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, in order to prevent Israeli military entry into Rafah.
According to the report, the Egyptian mediators made it clear to Hamas that this was the best deal they could get, and if it was not met, Israel would be able to enter Rafah legally.
It was also reported that Egypt would try to arrange a phased deal so that in its first phase, hostages would be released in exchange for a ceasefire – and issues such as the cessation of hostilities or the control of Gaza on the day after, would be postponed to a second phase and be discussed later on.
(Israel National News’ North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of the Seventh Day of Passover in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)
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