Negotiations expected to continue in phases, with contentious issues deferred to later discussions
Israel and Hamas have reached “an understanding” on a prisoner exchange and cease-fire deal in Gaza, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported Wednesday.
The broadcaster said there are numerous points of disagreement, however, with the most prominent being the list of hostages in Gaza expected to be released. Israel insists on receiving the list, while Hamas has refused to provide the names of those being held captive.
The two sides, through intermediaries, have agreed to delay contentious issues until the second phase of the agreement, allowing for the implementation of the first phase, which focuses on humanitarian matters.
Israel is currently holding more than 10,300 Palestinians in its prisons, while there are an estimated 100 Israeli prisoners in Gaza. Hamas has said that dozens of Israeli hostages have died in indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes.
Since an exchange of prisoners under a cease-fire agreement in late November 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has occasionally hinted at progress in negotiations while continuing airstrikes against Palestinians.
Sources close to the negotiations told KAN that the agreement has been nearly finalized and that any obstacles could soon be overcome. They also said that Hamas does not oppose completing the deal in two phases.
Hamas is willing to include detainees up to the age of 40 in the humanitarian category, even though they consider them soldiers, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners with lengthy or life sentences, the report added.
The Palestinian group has also demanded that Israel cease its airstrikes and drone operations over Gaza during the initial phase of the cease-fire, which would last for a week, to allow time for gathering information about the Israeli prisoners.
Additionally, Hamas insists on a commitment from Israel and the international community to complete the deal beyond the first phase, which would lead to the end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Hamas has yet to comment on the KAN report.
Recent reports from Israeli sources suggest that Israel seeks a two-stage deal involving an initial humanitarian phase covering women, conscripts, the injured and the elderly, followed by a second phase that could end the war and lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
On Tuesday, KAN also reported that Hamas proposed a one-week truce, during which it would provide a list of Israeli hostages in Gaza, though no comment has been made by the group on this suggestion.
Hamas has repeatedly expressed its willingness in recent months to negotiate a prisoner swap and cease-fire. In May, it even agreed to a proposal from US President Joe Biden.
But Netanyahu later rejected the proposal, citing new conditions, including the continuation of the military campaign and the refusal to withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza.
The group insists on a complete halt to the fighting and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Opposition leaders and families of Israeli hostages accuse Netanyahu of blocking a deal to maintain his political position, with extremist ministers including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatening to topple the government if any cease-fire in Gaza is agreed on.
The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed over 45,550 people, mostly women and children, since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
