A deal for the release of additional hostages could be reached in the upcoming days if Hamas agrees to certain conditions posed by mediators, officials have said.
The attendees of a security cabinet meeting held on Saturday were told that Hamas was signaling its readiness to accept a deal involving the release of five living hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire.
Israel told the mediators over the weekend that it expects US envoy Steve Witkoff’s outline to be implemented, which entails the release of 10-11 hostages in exchange for a 40-day ceasefire.
The Jewish state also insisted that – as part of such a deal, if realized – humanitarian aid must be delivered directly to civilians in Gaza, and mediators should be informed of the hostages’ condition, including what sort of nutrition they were being given.
During the ceasefire period, discussions will take place regarding the second phase of the deal, namely, the conditions under which the war will end.
“There is a reasonable chance of reaching some kind of a deal, but only in a few days will we know whether one is truly possible,” an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post.
A source familiar with the details of the negotiations also told the Post that there was disagreement among the mediators as to whether an agreement could be achieved.
What awaits Israel in second phase of Gaza hostage deal
At the opening of the government meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed that the tactics Israel was using were the reason why the hostage deal talks were going well.
“We are conducting these discussions under fire, which is why they are so effective. We are suddenly seeing cracks [in Hamas’s stance].
“We are ready to discuss the second phase. Hamas will lay down its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave. We will ensure general security in the Gaza Strip and enable the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan – the voluntary migration plan. That’s the idea.”