Israel proposes new hostage agreement to Hamas: Report

Hamas seized around 250 Israelis in its October 7 attack from Gaza. While some were released during a week-long humanitarian pause at the end of November, Israel estimates that 130 are still being held in the Palestinian enclave.

According to two Israeli officials who spoke to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, the War Cabinet approved the parameters of the proposal “ten days ago” and sent it to Hamas via Qatar and Egypt. Israel is now waiting for the group’s response and is reportedly “cautiously optimistic” about it.

US envoy Brett McGurk was in Egypt on Sunday and is set to proceed to Qatar for talks aimed at negotiating the release of captives held by Hamas.

Under the terms of the Israeli proposal, the first phase would see Hamas releasing women, men over 60, and hostages who are in critical medical condition, Axios wrote on Monday. The second phase would involve releasing female soldiers, male civilians under 60, male soldiers, and finally the bodies of hostages that have been killed.

Israel is prepared to stop operations for “up to two months”, the longest truce it has offered since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas. However, the government is not prepared to end the war or release all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners, according to Axios. Hamas and Israel would have to agree in advance on how many Palestinian prisoners would be released for each Israeli in every category, and negotiate on their names separately.

The proposal also includes a “redeployment” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from parts of Gaza and allowing a “gradual return” of Palestinians to Gaza City. If Hamas accepts the deal, IDF operations in Gaza will continue after 60 days but would be “significantly smaller in scope and intensity”, the officials who spoke to Axios have stated.

Two officials familiar with the ongoing international discussions also told CNN Israel has proposed that Hamas senior leaders could leave Gaza as part of a broader ceasefire deal.

Israel has estimated Hamas casualties at 10,000 killed and 16,000 wounded, while the recently published US estimates were somewhat lower. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has reported over 25,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict, two-thirds of them women and children.