Haaretz newspaper reported from informed sources that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed the families of prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza that “Israel is ready to make concessions for the sake of a new deal,” while an Israeli channel revealed what it said were general principles for concluding the deal, while an American envoy visits the region to investigate the issue.

The newspaper indicated that Netanyahu informed the families that Israel would not announce a halt to the war as part of a deal, as requested by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Haaretz reported that Netanyahu said that if he agreed to end the war, international guarantees must be signed that cannot be violated. According to the newspaper, Netanyahu denied the existence of a real proposal from Hamas, but said that there was an initiative without going into details.

In the same context, an Israeli official said that negotiations with Hamas regarding a ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for a prisoner exchange are still ongoing.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that the negotiations “are still ongoing, and we have not received a negative response.”

It pointed out that the Israeli official's statements came after Western reports about Hamas rejecting the Israeli offer.

White House spokesman John Kirby said that US envoy McGurk is in Cairo on Tuesday to hold "serious" discussions regarding the release of prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza and reaching a humanitarian truce.

Kirby added that the White House would certainly support a longer humanitarian truce.

Israeli principles

In the same context, on Tuesday, Israeli Channel 12 revealed the content of an Israeli offer for a prisoner exchange with Hamas and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Channel 12 said, "The mediators' answer is expected to come today or tomorrow after hearing from Hamas about whether it is possible to move forward, and if it shows flexibility in its declared demand to stop fighting and withdraw all forces from the Gaza Strip."

The channel explained what it said were the general principles set by Israel regarding the deal, including that it include the release of all detainees in 3 stages, with women, the elderly, and the wounded being released first, then non-recruited men, and finally the soldiers and corpses.

Among the principles are that Israel adhere to a rest period (ceasefire) lasting several weeks, ranging from two to three months, and that Israel work to change the deployment of its forces in the Gaza Strip and withdraw from population centers.

Israel also expressed its willingness to allow the return of residents to specific areas in the northern Gaza Strip, according to the channel.

The channel also confirmed that Tel Aviv will not commit to ending the war at any stage.

Hamas had stipulated a ceasefire in Gaza, the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Strip, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and a pledge not to return to war or pursue Hamas, in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners, which Israel rejected, according to Netanyahu on Monday.

For his part, Israeli government spokesman Elon Levy said on Tuesday that Israel will not agree to an agreement with Hamas regarding a ceasefire that would allow the continued detention of prisoners in Gaza or for Hamas to remain in power, as he put it.

On October 7, Hamas launched an attack on Israeli military points and settlements around the Gaza Strip, during which about 1,200 Israelis were killed, about 5,431 were wounded, and at least 239 were captured, of whom Tel Aviv regained about 105 in an exchange and temporary truce deal with Hamas that lasted 7 days, ending in early December 2023. 

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which as of Tuesday morning left 25,490 dead and 63,354 injured, most of them children and women, according to the Palestinian authorities, and caused devastation. A massive and unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the United Nations.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies + Israeli press

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