Israel will officially hand over a new proposal to mediators for a hostage swap deal with Hamas on Tuesday, Israeli media reported Monday.
According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, the proposal includes a hostage swap deal approved by the Israeli War Cabinet.The proposal was drafted by the Israeli negotiating team, and was approved at the last cabinet meeting on Sunday evening, KAN reported.
It added that Nitzan Alon, who is responsible for the hostages issue on behalf of the Israeli army, was not present at the meeting, referring his absence to recent criticism by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the negotiating team.
The Hamas group earlier denied receiving any confirmations from the mediators regarding an Israeli new proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza and a hostage swap.
On Saturday, the broadcaster said negotiations between Israel and Hamas for the release of hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza will resume next week.The developments came after Israeli intelligence agency Mossad chief David Barnea returned from Paris, where he met with American CIA Director William Burns and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Thani on Friday, the media outlet said.
Through the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and the US, Hamas and Israel have been engaged in stalled indirect negotiations for months, aiming to reach an agreement to swap hostages and end the war on Gaza that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023.
Israel continued its brutal offensive on Gaza despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
At least 36,050 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, the vast majority being women and children, and over 81,000 others injured since October following an attack by Hamas.
More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel stands accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar
