Mediators are expected to present a new proposal to Israel and Hamas this weekend on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, in a bid to break the deadlock between the two sides.
The new proposal, drafted by Egypt in co-ordination with Qatar and the United States, calls for a long-term ceasefire of at least five to seven years, backed by international guarantees. Mediators say the proposal aims to strike a balance between the demands of both parties.
The Saudi magazine Al-Majalla reports that on the third day of the ceasefire, negotiations would begin on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the remaining hostages, as well as Israel Defense Forces redeployment, demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip, arrangements for postwar governance and the official declaration of a permanent ceasefire.
David Barnea, director of the intelligence agency Mossad, is meeting Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Doha, after reports that Qatar is now pressing Hamas to disarm.
Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza more than a month ago, with the stated objective of increasing pressure on Hamas to release the 59 hostages it is still holding, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, who were taken in the militant group’s attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023.
Israel also has also blocked all deliveries of humanitarian aid and other supplies to Gaza for seven weeks, an action criticised by the United Nations as “further depriving people of the means for survival and undermining every aspect of civilian life”.
Meanwhile, the IDF is continuing its daily attacks and has issued new evacuation orders to residents of northern Gaza. Some 420,000 Palestinians – 20 per cent of Gaza’s population – are estimated to have been displaced again over the last five weeks, after a ceasefire in place since mid-January broke down.
Underlining the worsening humanitarian crisis across Gaza, the World Food Programme said on Friday it had depleted all its food stocks for families in the enclave, warning that its hot meal kitchens would run out of food in the coming days.
Basic commodities are scarce, pushing up prices to levels far beyond the reach of the vast majority of Gaza’s impoverished population. Canned meat, which used to cost the equivalent of 50 cent, now costs more than €3. A litre of oil has rocketed to €12 and a kilo of sugar has risen from €1.70 to more than €12. In some places a single cigarette sells for more than €20.
Israel is reluctant to end the blockade, believing Hamas will once again seize much of the aid. The IDF has voiced opposition to taking responsibility for distributing the aid, believing this endanger soldiers’ lives.
During a visit to southern Gaza on Thursday, the IDF’s top general, Lieut Gen Eyal Zamir, told troops: “We continue our operational pressure and to tighten our hold on Hamas as needed, and if we do not see progress in the return of the hostages, we will expand our activities into a more intense and significant operation until we reach a decisive outcome.
“Hamas is responsible for starting this war, Hamas is still cruelly holding the hostages, and is responsible for the dire situation of the population in Gaza.”
However, escalating the military operation would require calling up tens of thousands of reservists, many of whom have already served hundreds of days since the war began with the surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel a year and half ago.
More than 51,350 people have been killed in the Gaza war according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Some 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage in the Hamas attack, according to Israel.
