Middle East crisis: Israel appears to soften its stance in ceasefire talks

A look at the portraits of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, last week in Tel Aviv.Credit... Ahmad Gharabli /Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Israel's latest offer would accept fewer hostages to be released during first phase of 'a new truce in Gaza, according to three Israeli officials, offering a hint of hope for ceasefire negotiations that could resume as early as Tuesday.

For months, Israel had demanded that Hamas release at least 40 hostages – women, the elderly and the seriously ill – in order to secure a new truce. Now the Israeli government is prepared to settle for just 33, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.

The change was driven in part by the fact that Israel now believes some of the 40 died in captivity, according to one of the officials.

Antony J. Blinken, the US secretary of state, said Monday at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that Israel had made an "extraordinarily generous" offer and that Hamas alone stood in the way of an agreement. agreement. David Cameron, the British foreign secretary, told the same conference that the offer included a sustained 40-day ceasefire and the potential release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages.

Sameh Shoukry, Egypt's foreign minister, told the conference he was "hopeful" about the latest proposal ceasefire, but did not specify what it entailed or who proposed it. .

“The proposal took into account the positions of both parties,” Mr. Shoukry said, adding that “we expect have a final decision. in November, when Hamas released 105 prisoners in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, said on social media on Monday that Hamas was studying a new Israeli proposal, but did not specify what that proposal was.

Hamas and its allies captured around 240 Israelis and foreigners during their October 7 attack, prompting Israel to go to war in Gaza. More than 130 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, but some are believed to have died.

Negotiations on a new pause, brokered by Egypt and the Qatar, have been deadlocked for months over disagreements over the number of hostages and prisoners that should be exchanged under a future deal. Another obstacle was whether Israel would allow civilians from northern Gaza who fled the Israeli invasion to return home, and how many of them would be allowed to do so.

The duration of the ceasefire is also a major stumbling block. Hamas wants this measure to be permanent, while Israel wants another temporary pause so it can send troops to Rafah, the last major city in Gaza under Hamas control, although it is home to more than a million Displaced Palestinians. Far-right members of Israel's governing coalition have threatened to overthrow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government if the war ends without the total defeat of Hamas.

A A mid-level Israeli delegation plans to travel to Cairo on Tuesday to resume Egyptian-mediated talks, but only if Hamas also agrees to attend, according to two Israeli officials. A senior Hamas official said a delegation was already in Cairo on Monday.

At the economic forum in Saudi Arabia, Mr Cameron , the British Foreign Secretary said something else had to happen...