riyadh and jerusalem
CNN
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Hamas is considering a new framework proposed by Egypt that calls for the release of up to 33 hostages it kidnapped from Israel in exchange for a cessation of fighting in Gaza, Israeli officials and foreign diplomatic sources familiar with the negotiations told CNN. told.
The latest proposal, which Israel helped draw up but has not fully agreed to, is divided into two phases, with the first phase offering 20 to 33 hostages over several weeks in exchange for the suspension and release of Palestinian prisoners. I am asking you to release me. The second phase, which sources described as a “sustainable restoration of calm,” would involve the exchange of remaining hostages, captured Israeli soldiers, and bodies of hostages with more Palestinian prisoners. Become.
A diplomatic source familiar with the talks said the reference to sustainable peace was “a way to agree to a permanent ceasefire without calling it that.”
After months of deadlock, an agreement from both sides would be a major step toward ending the war. But failure to reach a deal could deepen Israel's presence in Gaza. If no deal is reached, Israel is likely to launch a large-scale ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge. Israel's allies, including the United States, have warned against the operation, citing the potential for large-scale civilian casualties.
Israel is waiting for a response from Hamas, which is scheduled to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Monday, the official said. An Israeli working delegation comprising Mossad, Shin Bet and Israeli military officials is scheduled to head to Cairo on Tuesday, according to an Israeli intelligence source and another Israeli official.
A response is expected from Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, within days, perhaps within 24 hours.
Israeli officials say the length of the first phase of the cessation of fighting is related to the number of hostages to be freed, with the latest framework calling for one day of suspension per hostage; In-depth negotiations that are expected to fluctuate as the period gets longer.
The release of the 40 hostages had been the basis of negotiations for months ahead of a six-week cease-fire, but Israel agreed to reduce the number of hostages taken in. The hostages were secured in the first phase after Hamas lowered its recruitment to fewer than 20 people earlier this month.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Hamas had been offered a cease-fire proposal that was “very generous on the Israeli side.”
“At the moment, Hamas is the only thing standing between Gazans and a ceasefire,” he told World Economic Forum (WEF) President Borge Brende in the Saudi capital Riyadh. “They (Hamas) have to decide and they have to decide quickly,” he said. “We hope they make the right decision.”
Evelyn Hochstein/Reuters
On April 29, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended the U.S.-Arab Quint meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Palestinian Authority at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, also speaking in Riyadh, said he hoped Israel and Hamas would accept the proposal.
“There are proposals on the table, whether they are considered and accepted by both sides, but certainly the objective is a cease-fire, a permanent cease-fire, and the humanitarian situation We have to deal with it,” he said.
He said he hoped “the proposal has been taken into account” and that “we are awaiting a final decision.”
Israeli officials have expressed openness to negotiating a “sustainable restoration of peace” as part of a comprehensive agreement that would effectively end the war.
Egypt has agreed to agree to a one-year ceasefire as part of a comprehensive agreement that would see Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza and release all remaining hostages and bodies of those killed, according to Israeli officials familiar with the negotiations. Recommendations to both parties.
CNN has reached out to the Egyptian government for comment.
Hamas insisted that a permanent ceasefire and Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza should be part of the deal. Israel has so far insisted that its operations in Gaza will continue until Hamas is eradicated.
Officials said Israel also agreed to unrestricted movement of Palestinians into northern Gaza, a key demand of Hamas, which has delayed negotiations in the past.
What's hanging over the negotiations is the growing possibility of an Israeli military attack on Rafah. Israeli authorities have been foretelling this for months, but are now holding back, saying they want to give room for negotiations.
But Israeli sources characterize recent efforts by Egypt to broker a deal as a last chance to avert that attack.
“The only chance to stop Mr. Rafa is a deal,” said an Israeli source familiar with the negotiations.
The United States and other Israeli allies have warned that such operations will not be supported if appropriate measures are not taken to ensure the safety of civilians.
“Preparations to enter Rafah continue. No matter what the deal is, if there is an agreement, Israel will not abandon its war goals,” the Israeli official said.
Blinken reiterated in Riyadh that the United States would not support a major military operation in Rafah “unless there is a plan to ensure that civilians are not harmed.”
“We have yet to find a plan that can effectively protect civilians,” he said.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council's chief of staff for communications, said on Sunday that Israel had told its U.S. counterpart that it would not launch an invasion of Rafah until the Biden administration shared its concerns.
“I think we actually need to have a better understanding of what the Israelis want to do. We've had several conversations with staff and we intend to do more,” he told the ABC. Ta. “They assured us that we would not go to Rafah until we had a chance to really share our views and concerns with them.”
In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke about the need for increased humanitarian aid and spoke about the possibility of an Israeli invasion of Rafah, saying, “There is no clear answer,” according to a White House transcript of the conversation. He reiterated his position.”
The death toll from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued to rise over the weekend.
Israeli airstrikes over Rafah in the Gaza Strip overnight starting Monday killed 20 people, including at least one infant and one toddler, hospital officials said.
And in Gaza City, two Israeli airstrikes overnight killed seven Palestinians and injured dozens, Gaza civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told CNN. An Israeli airstrike hit the Tarturi family's two-story home in the western port area of Gaza City, killing five Palestinians and injuring several others, Bassal said.
In another incident, an Israeli airstrike targeted the Hijazi family's home in the Sabra district of central Gaza City, killing two people and injuring several others, Bassal said.
