After the disputes between Israel and Hamas escalated regarding the anticipated prisoner exchange deal, Tel Aviv seems to have made a decisive move.
Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced on Monday that ceasefire negotiations in the besieged sector have reached an impasse.
The road has been blocked due to Hamas’ demands, as the movement refused to allow Israeli forces to remain in Gaza during the ceasefire.
An Israeli official mentioned that Tel Aviv agreed to pay a hefty price in the recent negotiations in Doha, while Hamas remained obstinate.
The authority stated that Israel would not have veto power over the list of prisoners to be released in exchange for the soldiers. Instead, Israel agreed to release 7 life-sentenced prisoners for each soldier.
These developments come amid clear American pressures imposed by Washington on Tel Aviv through its Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to make progress in the negotiations and reach a deal within days.
Previously, it was seen as a prelude to the finalization of the deal, and reaching the stage of discussing details and disagreements does not necessarily mean the failure of the negotiations amidst possibilities for each party to compromise to reach a final formula.
Nevertheless, Hamas reiterated during the past days that the positions are still far apart between it and the Israeli side regarding the anticipated prisoner exchange deal and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The same knot!
An Israeli official announced on Sunday that his country had agreed to the settlement proposal put forward by the United States.
Gantz Flies to Washington to Discuss Ceasefire and Gaza Aid Files
He added that Israel is now awaiting answers from Hamas, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, yesterday.
Last Saturday, the United States presented during the negotiations in Doha a “proposal that approximates” the viewpoints regarding the number of Palestinian prisoners that Israel must release in exchange for each prisoner Hamas releases during a possible new ceasefire in Gaza.
The mentioned proposal included the release of 40 Israeli detainees out of 130 held by Hamas, along with a ceasefire for 6 weeks.
It also proposed easing the conditions for residents’ return to northern Gaza.
Meanwhile, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, told Reuters that the movement had previously presented a proposal earlier this month, describing it as unrealistic by Israel. It stipulated that the Israeli authorities release between 700 and a thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners, including females, minors, the elderly, and the sick.
Israel also blamed Israel for failing to reach an agreement because it refuses so far to commit to ending the military attack, withdrawing its forces from the Gaza Strip, and allowing the displaced people to return to their homes in the north.
The Palestinian movement insists on the return of the displaced to the north as well as a permanent ceasefire, while the Israeli side rejects this.
