Sources close to Hamas, Egypt and Qatar confirmed on Wednesday that the movement is studying an official proposal to reach a “truce” to be implemented in three stages with the Israeli occupation, noting that the first stage includes “the withdrawal of Israeli forces and enabling the return of the displaced to Gaza and the northern Gaza Strip.”

Hamas had said earlier that it was studying the proposals drawn up by the mediators in Paris in preparation for declaring a second truce in the war that has been going on for four months.

In November, Israel and Hamas reached a truce that lasted for a week, but sources indicate that the expected truce will last for six weeks.

According to a source close to Hamas and the mediators Egypt and Qatar, the first phase of the truce will include Hamas releasing between 35-40 Israeli detainees, including women, children, and sick men over 60 years old.

In return, Israel releases between 200-300 Palestinian prisoners, without this number including prisoners with high sentences. Israel also allows aid to flow into the Gaza Strip at a rate of 200-300 trucks per day.

The second phase will see Hamas release reserve soldiers in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners to be negotiated.

The second phase also includes the release of soldiers and officers imprisoned by Hamas and other factions in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners who will be negotiated in a round of indirect negotiations that will take place between 4-6 weeks after the implementation of the agreement begins.

The third stage of the truce includes, according to the sources, the release of the bodies of the dead prisoners from both sides and an agreement on the crossings and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The sources indicated that Egypt and Qatar will follow up on the implementation of the agreement in coordination with the United States.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out withdrawing his forces from the Gaza Strip.

Israel awaits Hamas' response

According to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli occupation state made a great effort to reduce the number of Palestinian prisoners and their “quality” that the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) could request, in exchange for concluding a new deal through mediators.

This proactive Israeli step comes despite Hamas having not yet announced its demands publicly regarding the number of prisoners it can demand for each Israeli detainee.

The move also joins statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday, Tuesday, that Israel will not release thousands of prisoners, and will not withdraw its army from the Gaza Strip before achieving Israeli goals.

However, a number of Israeli political and military analysts believe that completing the deal will require Israel to make major concessions, which will be reflected in the government, in light of a number of ministers threatening to reject it, and Netanyahu will also have to decide in order to conclude the deal or reject it.

Source: (AFP, Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed)