Hamas has slashed the variety of hostages it’s prepared to launch in the course of the first section of a proposed ceasefire deal by greater than half, an Israeli supply near the negotiations stated.
In its newest counterproposal, Hamas provided to launch fewer than 20 hostages in change for a six-week ceasefire, greater than halving the variety of 40 hostages that has been the idea of negotiations for months — a big step backward within the talks.
A senior Biden administration official confirmed that Hamas is concentrated on these 20 for the primary section of a possible deal. The official additionally confirmed Hamas is telling mediators that it solely has round 20 remaining hostages who’re ladies or sick, wounded and aged males.
Hamas additionally known as for the discharge of extra Palestinian prisoners in change for fewer hostages, the supply stated, in addition to the next variety of prisoners serving life sentences.
The Israeli supply stated the newest Hamas counterproposal alerts that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas chief in Gaza, doesn’t desire a deal, searching for to use fissures between the US and Israel over Israeli army operations in Gaza and home strain on the Israeli authorities.
Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim stated the group had proposed “releasing (three) captured Israelis every week,” however stated “nobody is speaking about closing numbers.”
Past the ratio of Palestinian prisoners, Hamas is continuous to demand assurances a few everlasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and unrestricted entry for Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.
“I believe a part of that is Hamas thinks they’re successful. As a result of their definition of success is survival and so they’ve survived to this point,” the Biden official stated. “The longer the battle has gone on the extra recalcitrant Hamas has turn into reasonably than the opposite method round.”
