Despite Hamas confirming that there are still divergent positions between them and the Israeli side regarding the expected prisoner exchange deal and the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, a senior Israeli official indicated that his country has agreed to the settlement proposal put forward by the United States.
He also added that Israel is now awaiting responses from Hamas, according to what the Israeli broadcasting authority reported on Sunday.
Meanwhile, other Israeli officials confirmed that if there is a positive response from Hamas, the Israeli delegation, including senior officials, will immediately return to Doha, as reported by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
They also emphasized that there is no crisis regarding the negotiating delegation’s authority.
These statements come after the head of the Israeli negotiating delegation, Mossad chief David Barnea, returned last night from Doha to brief officials on the progress of the indirect talks in the Qatari capital with Hamas.
Disagreements in Opinion
While Israeli sources familiar with the matter saw that on a professional level in dealing with communications and details of the prisoner exchange deal, there are differences in opinion about the extent of Hamas’s willingness to reach an agreement.
This comes as the Israeli security delegation led by Defense Minister Yaakov Galant, who arrived in Washington at the invitation of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, is expected to discuss the issue of the raid on the city of Rafah and alternative plans for it, as well as humanitarian efforts, aerial aid drops, and the construction of the maritime dock in the Palestinian territory.
The American Proposal
The United States presented yesterday, during the negotiations in Doha, a “proposal to bring together” viewpoints regarding the number of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel who must be released for each prisoner Hamas releases during a potential new ceasefire in Gaza.
The mentioned proposal included the release of 40 Israeli detainees out of 130 held by Hamas, along with a 6-week ceasefire.
It also proposed the idea of easing the conditions for the return of residents to northern Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas senior official Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed to Reuters that the movement had previously presented a proposal earlier this month, which Israel described as unrealistic, stipulating that Israeli authorities release between 700 and 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli prisoners including females, minors, seniors, and the sick. Israel holds responsibility for not reaching an agreement because it continues to refuse to commit to ending the military attack, withdrawing its forces from the Gaza Strip, and allowing 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.
