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Hamas is not demanding that Israel instantly conform to a everlasting cease-fire in return for starting a hostage and prisoner alternate, in response to folks conversant in the negotiations.
Hamas’s new proposal would permit the discharge of hostages in alternate for a phased pullback of Israeli troops from components of the Gaza Strip in addition to prisoner releases. By modifying calls for for an outright finish of hostilities, the brand new proposal might probably restart negotiations.
The White Home welcomed the brand new Hamas proposal and confirmed that talks would resume quickly in Doha, Qatar, though with out an American delegation current. “We’re cautiously optimistic that issues are transferring in an excellent route however that doesn’t imply it’s accomplished and we’re going to need to keep it up till the very finish,” stated John F. Kirby, a nationwide safety communications adviser for the White Home.
America has been making use of stress on Hamas to renew talks and ease its calls for. Numerous negotiating events have been providing Gaza extra guarantees of humanitarian assist and issuing imprecise threats to shut down Hamas’s political workplace in Doha.
Whereas publicly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was dismissive of the brand new proposal, different Israeli officers have reacted extra positively, provided that final week Hamas refused to supply phrases for a hostage swap.
Negotiators, together with senior Israeli intelligence officers, might arrive in Doha as early as Sunday, in response to an official within the area.
Whereas saying he didn’t wish to negotiate from the White Home podium, Mr. Kirby prompt that the Hamas proposal match the framework that Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the US agreed to in talks in Paris final month.
“I’d say the proposal that was put ahead is actually inside the bounds of — in broad brush strokes — inside the bounds of the deal that we’ve been engaged on for a number of months,” he stated. “However the satan’s within the particulars.”
One other U.S. official and the official within the area stated that whereas gaps between the fighters have to be closed, the brand new proposal was the primary constructive step in a while, and it was important that Hamas was not demanding a everlasting cease-fire.
Within the first part of an settlement, below the Hamas proposal, Israeli troops would pull again towards central Gaza, permitting some civilians to return to their houses, in response to an Israeli official briefed on the proposal.
Underneath the Hamas proposal, Israel must conform to the discharge of extra Palestinians from jail than the U.S.-backed proposal had provided.
The preliminary alternate of hostages would come with the remaining 5 feminine hostages, along with 35 males who’re previous, sick or injured. Hamas is demanding the discharge of 350 Palestinian prisoners for the boys. It desires 50 prisoners, together with 30 sentenced to life in jail, for every of the ladies. The sooner American-backed proposal had stated 15 prisoners convicted of great acts of terrorism could be launched for the feminine prisoners.
The primary part would final a couple of weeks. Throughout the second part, male prisoners could be launched in return for an extra cessation of hostilities. Within the ultimate stage, Hamas would return the our bodies of hostages who’ve died and Israel would ease the blockade of Gaza, in response to the Hamas proposal.
Israel has resisted any settlement to finish its navy marketing campaign. American officers have been pushing to start exchanges in return for a brief halt in preventing as the one components that may work.
Particulars of the Hamas proposal have been earlier reported by Al Jazeera.
The varied events had been discussing for weeks a broader three-phase strategy to the discharge of all hostages held by Hamas and its allies, together with the our bodies of deceased hostages. Israel and the US needed to focus negotiations on the primary part, involving releases of sure hostages for quite a few Palestinian prisoners. However as a part of these targeted talks, Hamas had insisted that Israel decide to a everlasting cease-fire in spite of everything three phases, which turned a significant level of competition, since Israel refuses to accede to that.
Edward Wong contributed reporting from Washington.
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