In an unprecedented move, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is reportedly offering a hefty sum to Hamas for each remaining hostage taken during the October 7 attacks.
The Israeli military has also committed to ensuring safe passage for the captors out of the Gaza Strip.
According to the Daily Mail, it is believed that more than 60 hostages are still alive, with the bodies of an additional 35 in the hands of Hamas. Among those yet to be reunited with their families is Emily Damari, a 28-year-old dual British-Israeli citizen, who was forcibly taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel.
An Israeli official has stated that the hostage takers and their families would be granted immunity against capture or punishment. The government is prepared to pay out millions for the return of their citizens, nearly 400 days since their abduction. This news comes on the heels of Netanyahu's decision to dismiss his Defence Minister due to a breakdown in trust during the Gaza war against Hamas.
"In light of this, I decided today to end the term of the defence minister," Netanyahu announced in a statement issued by his office. Yoav Gallant, who had only returned to the post in April after being dismissed last March, will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
The decision sparked a wave of protests in Tel Aviv, with hundreds demanding the return of the hostages. One mother of a hostage expressed her frustration, stating, "Gallant's dismissal sends a clear message - there is no one left to prevent the foiling of hostage deal; it's time to take to the streets."
The Israeli broadcaster Keshet 12 revealed that Netanyahu had discussed a 'millions of dollars' deal for each hostage at a security cabinet meeting on Sunday. However, Hamas has yet to respond to the initiative, which was proposed shortly after the group rejected the latest ceasefire proposal.
Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, had proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages with some Palestinian prisoners. The plan was to halt the fighting for less than a month, in hopes of achieving a more permanent ceasefire.
Diplomats and representatives from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been leading multiple negotiations to end the war, which began after Hamas terrorists stormed into southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage, according to Israeli official figures.
In contrast, Gaza health officials report that the death toll from Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza is nearing 43,000, with the densely populated enclave in ruins.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his disappointment after the ceasefire proposal was rejected, stating that Hamas had "once again refused to release even a limited number of hostages to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza."
Hamas official Taher al-Nunu reiterated the group's stance, stating that a "temporary pause in the war, only to resume aggression later, is something we have already expressed our position on. Hamas supports a permanent end to the war, not a temporary one".
Hamas has consistently maintained that it will only release the hostages in exchange for a lasting cease-fire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners. These demands remain unchanged following the killing of its top leader Yahya Sinwar last month.
As the United States, Egypt, and Qatar continue their efforts to restart negotiations, an Israeli official has predicted a "renewed momentum" to devise a deal that will secure the hostages following the US elections.
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