Israel proposes deal to pause fighting in Gaza for up to 2 month, officials reveal

Israel has reportedly proposed a deal to Palestinian Resistance group, Hamas, which includes a pause in the conflict in Gaza for up to two months in exchange for the release of all Israeli hostages and an unknown number of Palestinian prisoners.

According to the news outlet, Axios, two anonymous Israeli officials revealed that, ten days prior, Israel’s war cabinet approved the parameters of a new proposal for a hostage deal with Hamas, consisting of several phases in which all remaining hostages held by the Palestinian group – currently numbering over 130 – would be released and the bodies of dead hostages would be returned.

The first phase, according to the report, would include the release of hostages who are women, men over the age of 60 years old, and those who are in critical medical condition. The following phases would then see the release of female soldiers, men under the age of 60 years old who are not soldiers, Israeli male soldiers and the bodies of dead hostages.

As for Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli jails, that number would reportedly be agreed upon in advance between both Israel and Hamas, in particular regarding how many for each Israeli hostage in each category. The names of those prisoners would also be agreed upon in separate negotiations.

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The proposal would also reportedly allow Tel Aviv to redeploy Israeli military forces within the Gaza Strip, with some set to move out of main population centres in the besieged territory in order to facilitate a gradual return of Palestinian civilians into Gaza city and the north of the Strip. Israeli military operations in Gaza would allegedly be much smaller in scope and intensity after the implementation of the proposed deal.

The deal and its various stages could make the total period of the pause in fighting reach up to two months, according to the officials. Although that would make it the longest ceasefire period that Israel has offered Hamas since it launched its bombardment and war on Gaza, a full ceasefire agreement to end the conflict would not be part of the proposed deal.

Israel’s reported proposal is the result of mediation conducted by Qatar and Egypt. According to the Israeli officials, Tel Aviv is waiting for a response from Hamas in regards to its agreement, although the Israelis are “cautiously optimistic”.