Reuters: Hamas accepts US proposal for talks on Israeli hostages
According to a report by the UK-based news agency Reuters citing a senior Hamas official, Hamas has accepted a US proposal to begin negotiations for the release of hostages, including Israeli soldiers, 16 days after the first phase of a three-stage ceasefire agreement.
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Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages have gained momentum once again. According to a report by the UK-based news agency Reuters citing a senior Hamas official, Hamas has accepted a US proposal to begin negotiations for the release of hostages, including Israeli soldiers, 16 days after the first phase of a three-stage agreement.
According to the source, Hamas has dropped its demand that "Israel provide a permanent ceasefire commitment" as a condition for accepting the three-stage ceasefire agreement. The Hamas official stated that this would allow the commitment to be achieved through negotiations during the first phase, which includes a 6-week ceasefire.
In the report, an unnamed Palestinian official close to international mediation efforts said that if the proposal is accepted by Israel, it could lead to a framework agreement and end the 9-month war in Gaza. A source from the Israeli negotiating team stated that "there is a real chance of reaching an agreement."
The report also noted that the US administration is making intense efforts to reach a peace agreement in Gaza before the presidential elections in November.
There has been no statement from the Israeli administration or Hamas regarding the matter yet.
THREE-STAGE CEASEFIRE PLAN
The first phase of the 3-stage ceasefire plan announced by US President Joe Biden at the end of May envisions the release of elderly, sick, and female hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during a 6-week ceasefire, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from residential areas in the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced Palestinian civilians, and the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
The second phase of the proposal includes the release of all living hostages, including Israeli soldiers in Gaza, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and a permanent end to hostilities. The third phase consists of the return of the remains of deceased hostages and the initiation of a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza.
In a statement made yesterday by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, it was announced that David Barnea, head of the Israeli foreign intelligence agency MOSSAD, had returned to the country after his meeting with mediators in Qatar and that negotiations would continue next week.