Cairo, Jan 8 (EFE).- Israel presented a new proposal through mediators in Doha, demanding the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, a Hamas official told EFE on Wednesday.
This proposal is part of renewed indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
The proposed deal includes the establishment of a permanent truce leading to a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and the full-scale rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip, the official said on the condition of anonymity.
«The main objective of an agreement is to release all Israeli detainees, whether civilians or soldiers, alive or dead (…) in exchange for the release of an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners held in the prisons of the occupation,» he said.
Under the deal, the Israeli military would withdraw from central Gaza, including the Netzarim corridor, which separates Gaza City from the rest of the Strip, and their military outposts in the region would be dismantled.
Israel would also allow humanitarian aid, including food, water, and medical supplies, to enter Gaza via the northern Erez crossing.
The first phase of the agreement focuses on the release of live hostages, beginning with women. According to the source, three women would be released on the first day, four on the seventh day, and three more every seven days thereafter. “The remaining hostages will be released gradually.”
Hamas is also required to provide, on the seventh day, a list of Palestinian prisoners to be released during the first phase of the agreement.
Israel has reportedly demanded the exile of at least 50 senior Hamas military leaders from Gaza to reduce potential security threats.
The deal also calls for the reconstruction of Gaza and housing for those displaced by the conflict, including the provision of 60,000 caravans and 200,000 tents.
«The second phase of the agreement involves a permanent cessation of military operations by all parties (…) to achieve ‘complete calm in the region,'» the source said.
Of the 251 people abducted during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, 154 have been freed, while 97 remain in captivity, with 34 presumed dead.
A week-long truce in November 2023 facilitated the release of 105 hostages, including 24 foreign nationals, in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
In December, the Palestinian Prisoners Club, a detainees’ rights organization, claimed that Israel had detained about 16,600 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza since the war began. Over 4,500 of these detentions occurred in Gaza, with hundreds later released.
Over the past 15 months, the war has claimed over 45,800 lives in Gaza, according to the Gazan health ministry.
The United Nations estimates that over 80 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed in Israeli attacks. EFE
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