Israel Resumes Negotiations for Hostage Release

Israel has put forth a new proposal to pause hostilities in exchange for the release of hostages currently held in Gaza, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations speaking to CNN.

This development signifies a major change in the ongoing conflict, as military operations had previously resumed and formal hostage negotiations had stalled.

In a promising move for a potential ceasefire, the political leader of Hamas visited Egypt, a key mediator, on Wednesday.

Israel’s proposed framework involves releasing hostages, including women, in stages, aiming for the eventual release of all hostages from Gaza. However, it’s emphasized that an agreement is not immediately on the horizon, and these discussions represent only the early stages of negotiations. Israel’s re-engagement in talks is nonetheless significant.

Domestic pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration has intensified, especially following an incident where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages.

Another source indicated that Israel, through Qatar’s mediation, has suggested a week-long pause in fighting to facilitate hostage release. This was initially reported by Axios.

Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas’ political bureau, has arrived in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials about the latest developments in the Israel-Gaza conflict, according to a Hamas statement.

Both the U.S. and Israel believe that resuming fighting, especially targeting southern Gaza, would increase pressure on Hamas to agree to another temporary ceasefire.

Hamas is reportedly demanding the release of more significant prisoners, referring to Palestinian women and teenage prisoners from Israeli jails, in exchange for hostages, as per the last deal between the two sides.

The previous agreement, a result of complex negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, the U.S., and Qatar, initially began on November 24 and was renewed twice before concluding on December 1. During the initial seven-day ceasefire, Hamas was to release at least ten Israeli hostages daily, kidnapped on October 7. The truce ended when Hamas did not release the remaining female hostages. Since then, U.S. and Qatari officials have continued discussions to secure the release of more hostages.

As part of this framework, 80 Israelis, including some with dual citizenship, were released from captivity. Additionally, 23 Thai citizens, one Filipino, and one dual Israeli-Russian citizen were freed in separate negotiations outside the truce.

On the other side, 240 Palestinians, mainly women and minors, some never charged, were released from Israeli prisons.