In a recent development, an anonymous Israeli official has announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to send negotiators to resume cease-fire talks in Gaza.
This decision, made on Thursday, follows a new response from Hamas to a U.S.-backed proposal for a phased cease-fire. The details of when and where these talks will occur remain undisclosed.
According to ABC News, previous discussions have reached an impasse due to Hamas' demand for Israel to agree to end the war and fully withdraw its troops from Gaza. The official stated that Netanyahu has reiterated his stance that Israel will not cease hostilities until it achieves its objectives of dismantling Hamas' military and governing capabilities and securing the release of all hostages held in Gaza.
In a related development, an Israeli anti-settlement monitoring group has reported that the government has approved plans to construct nearly 5,300 new homes in settlements in the occupied West Bank. This move by Israel's hard-line government is seen as a strategy to solidify Israel's control over the West Bank and thwart the establishment of a future Palestinian state. The government's Higher Planning Council has reportedly approved or advanced plans for these homes in several settlements.
Prime Minister Netanyahu's government, which is heavily influenced by settlers and their supporters, has appointed former settler leader Bezalel Smotrich to oversee settlement policy. COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for the planning council, has directed inquiries to Netanyahu's office, which has yet to respond.
Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Lebanons Hezbollah has escalated, with the militant group claiming to have launched over 200 rockets and exploding drones into northern Israel. This action is reportedly in retaliation for the killing of a senior commander in an Israeli airstrike. This low-level conflict has ignited the border and raised concerns of a potentially more destructive war in the Middle East. Hezbollah has stated it will cease its attacks if a cease-fire is established between Hamas, a fellow Iran-backed ally, and Israel.
The U.S. has garnered global support for a plan that calls for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a lasting truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. However, neither side appears to have fully accepted it. Hamas proposed amendments to the proposal last month, some of which the U.S. deemed unworkable, without providing specifics.
Netanyahu has presented conflicting positions. He confirmed that the original proposal was an Israeli one but also stated he would only accept a partial deal, after which Israel would resume its military campaign to destroy Hamas.
Hamas confirmed on Wednesday that it had sent another response to Egypt and Qatar, the mediators of the talks, without providing details. A U.S. official stated that the Biden administration was examining the response, describing it as constructive but indicating that more work was needed.
Netanyahu is set to convene a Cabinet meeting on Thursday to discuss the latest developments surrounding the negotiations. Additional consultations are likely to be held before a final decision is made on any amended proposal.
As cease-fire talks appear to be gaining momentum, Gaza's Health Ministry reported that the number of Palestinians killed by Israel's campaign in Gaza had surpassed 38,000. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
Hamas political official Bassem Naim stated that the group has neither accepted nor rejected the American proposal and has responded with some ideas to bridge the gap between the two sides, without elaborating. Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas top political leader, shared suggestions with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish officials, according to a statement released late Wednesday.
U.S. officials have stated that the latest proposal contains new language proposed to Egypt and Qatar on Saturday and addresses indirect negotiations set to commence during the first phase of the three-phase deal outlined by President Joe Biden in a May 31 speech.
The first phase calls for a cease-fire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all densely populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older people, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The proposal stipulates that the parties negotiate the terms of the second phase during the 42 days of phase one. Under the current proposal, the negotiations are intended to lead to a sustainable calm and the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, with the release of all remaining men, both civilians and soldiers, held captive by Hamas in return for an Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners. The third phase would see the return of the remains of hostages.
The transition from the first to the second phase appears to be the main sticking point. Hamas is concerned that Israel will restart the war after the first phase, perhaps after making unrealistic demands in the talks. Israeli officials have expressed their desire for the negotiations to lead to Hamas removal from power in Gaza, a provision not explicitly stated in the proposal. They have also advocated for a time limit on negotiations to maintain pressure on Hamas and prevent it from prolonging talks and the initial cease-fire.
In a television interview last month, Netanyahu stated that he was prepared to make a partial deal, but was committed to continuing the war after a pause to annihilate Hamas. Later, speaking before Israels parliament, he said Israel remains committed to the deal outlined by Biden.
The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Oct. 7 into southern Israel, attacking multiple army bases and farming communities and killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They abducted another 250 people, more than 100 of whom were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. Militants are still holding around 80 hostages and the remains of 40 others.
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