As mediators in Cairo and Doha continued efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and the Hamas terror group, international reports purported to shed some light on some of the gaps remaining between the two parties.
An Egyptian report on Sunday claimed that Israel is demanding the freeing of 11 Israeli men in the first round of hostage releases, while a report from the BBC the previous evening said that the talks are 90 percent agreed upon, although control of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border remains a sticking point.
Israel has been largely mum on any recent developments in the negotiations being brokered by Egypt and Qatar, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying last week that “that the less we discuss this, the better.” The families of the hostages still being held captive have demanded in public statements that a deal be reached to release all of their loved ones in one stage, calling a partial release a “death sentence” for those left behind.
Unnamed sources told Egypt’s Al-Ghad outlet on Sunday that Israel has requested the inclusion of 11 men on the list of hostages to be released in the first phase of a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, with Hamas apparently demanding further compensation in return for setting them free.
According to the report, the first phase of the potential deal between Israel and Hamas will see 250 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli prisons in exchange for the children held in Gaza, the five female soldiers, and the older and sick captives.
While not specifically mentioned by the report, it is assumed that the first round of releases will also include the female hostages who are not serving in the military.
According to the report, Israel has requested the release of 34 hostages in the first phase, including 11 considered by Hamas to be soldiers. The terror group classifies all Israeli men of military age to be soldiers.
However, Al-Ghad said Hamas had agreed for the 11 to be included in the first phase in return for “special consideration” in the deal, implying that Palestinian prisoners who also do not fit the agreed-upon categories could be released.
The outlet said other areas under discussion include the reopening of the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the potential withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Netzarim Corridor, which divides north Gaza from the south, and the return of Gazan civilians to the north of the Strip without conditions, but with vehicle inspections.
The report also claimed that talks were being held on a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, a route that Netanyahu long vowed would remain under Israeli control, although Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly said last week that the corridor “would not constitute an obstacle to a deal; there is flexibility from Hamas on this issue.”
But a senior Palestinian official involved in the negotiations told the BBC on Saturday that Philadelphi is one of the areas of contention, claiming that 90% of other issues in the talks have already been decided upon.
The official said that ongoing talks in Doha are considering the potential creation of a buffer zone along Gaza’s border with Israel that would be several kilometers wide, which would have an Israeli “military presence.”
Once these issues are resolved a potential ceasefire could begin within days, the official told BBC.
According to the report, the deal will see 20 Palestinian prisoners released for every female soldier freed in the first stage of the ceasefire, with the names of those prisoners not yet decided upon.
The report did not say if any male hostages will be released in the first stage and also does not mention either children or the women held in Gaza who are not serving in the military.
The BBC said Gazan civilians will be permitted to return to the north of the Strip “under a system with Egyptian/Qatari oversight,” echoing similar claims in the Egyptian report. Additionally, around 500 trucks will bring humanitarian aid into Gaza every day.
The BBC reported that the third stage of such a deal would see the end of the war, with Gaza to be “overseen by a committee of technocrats from the enclave, who would not have previous political affiliations but would have the backing of all Palestinian factions.”
The report said it is assumed that the released prisoners will not include Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for his part in planning three terror attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada.
Barghouti, 65, is often touted as one of the top candidates to succeed octogenarian Mahmoud Abbas as leader of the Palestinian Authority. He is especially favored by the younger generation, who perceive him as untainted by the PA’s corruption and collaboration with Israel.
Responding to a media report that Palestinian security prisoner Marwan Barghouti’s family recently visited Qatar to discuss his release to Turkey as part of a hostage deal, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement on Saturday declaring, “the terrorist Marwan Barghouti will not be released if and when a deal is made to release the hostages.”
Hamas-led terrorists kidnapped 251 people during their murderous onslaught through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, including soldiers from IDF bases along the border, partygoers from a music festival and families snatched from their homes. Ninety-six of the hostages remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
An Israeli TV report on Saturday evening claimed that Hamas has still not provided Israel with a list of living hostages held by terror groups in the Gaza Strip who would be exchanged during a deal.
In a rare joint statement issued Saturday following talks in Cairo a day earlier, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed that “the possibility of reaching an agreement is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions.”
A Hamas leader told AFP on Saturday that talks had made “significant and important progress” in recent days.
“Most points related to the ceasefire and prisoner exchange issues have been agreed upon,” he said on condition of anonymity. “Some unresolved points remain, but they do not hinder the process. The agreement could be finalized before the end of this year, provided it is not disrupted by Netanyahu’s new conditions.
Agencies contributed to this report.