A Delicate Offer on the Table
Israel is considering Hamas’ reaction to an American-supported offer for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages taken in Gaza, officials reported Tuesday. The offer, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, would have Hamas release 10 surviving and 18 dead hostages in return for 200 Palestinian detainees, including women and children. Hamas has also demanded the release of other Gaza detainees.
Israel insists that approximately 50 hostages are still being held in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. The government stance remains the same, a senior Israeli political official stated, the war won’t stop before all the captives are released. Nevertheless, the declaration lacked a clear rejection, leaving room for negotiations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to call for talks on the offer, with an answer due in a matter of days.
Ceasefire and Conditions
The truce proposal maps out a short-term Israeli pullback now occupying three-quarters of Gaza and ramping up aid to the blockaded territory, where 2.2 million people are suffering from deepening famine. Qatar’s foreign ministry termed it as a “pathway to a comprehensive agreement to end the war.”
Nonetheless, Israel is at the same time gearing up to make a more extensive offensive. Defence Minister Israel Katz met with commanders on Tuesday to sanction a four-phase operation: establishing humanitarian infrastructure in Gaza’s south, evacuating Gaza City, encircling it, and then advancing. Palestinians have already begun to flee Gaza City in droves anticipating the attack.
On the ground, there was continuing violence. At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday by airstrikes, tank fire, and gunfire, Gaza health officials said. Displaced families at shelters in Khan Younis showed a combination of skepticism and optimism. “I expect rejection again, as always,” said Abdallah Al-Khawaja, but another resident, Awad Labde, hoped that Israel would take the offer.
Domestic Pressure and Political Divides
The ceasefire debate is set against the background of rising pressure within Israel. Tens of thousands of protesters marched on Sunday in one of the biggest rallies since the war started, calling for a deal to have hostages returned home and an end to hostilities.
Netanyahu faces a difficult balancing act. While hostage families and much of the public are pushing for an agreement, his far-right coalition partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir oppose any truce, insisting the war continue until Hamas is defeated and Gaza annexed.
For Hamas, officials said their agreement to the deal was an “interim accord” meant to lead into larger talks. In contrast with earlier rounds, Hamas made no new demands, according to reports. But the gap is still significant: Israel demands that Hamas disarm and that its leaders depart Gaza demands the group has repeatedly spurned.
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A War with No Clear End
The war started last October when Palestinian fighters led by Hamas murdered 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. The Israeli retaliation has since claimed over 62,000 Palestinian lives, says local health officials, and displaced nearly the whole of Gaza’s population.
Though the new plan has sparked new hopes of a breakthrough, the way ahead is not clear. For most Israelis, the imperative is getting hostages back home. For most Palestinians, staying alive under bombardment matters more. And for leaders on each side, the question is whether a temporary cease-fire can lead to an end to a war that seems not to want to end.
