The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “significant gaps” remain following talks on a potential hostage deal that were attended by officials from the US, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt.
“There are still significant gaps in which the parties will continue to discuss this week in additional mutual meetings,” Netanyahu said.
The talks were held in Paris and were attended by CIA Director William Burns, Israeli Mossad chief David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.
Ahead of the meeting, The New York Times reported that negotiators were moving closer to a deal that would see a two-month ceasefire in exchange for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza.
The Times report said other details need to be worked out, including the number of Palestinian prisoners who will be released in exchange for the Israelis. During the previous hostage deal that resulted in a seven-day pause, over 100 Israelis and over 200 Palestinians were freed.
Hamas expects to get more Palestinians freed in exchange for releasing Israeli soldiers. The Times report said in the first 30 days of the potential deal, Hamas would release women, elderly, and wounded hostages. Over the next 30-day period, the Palestinian group would release Israeli men and soldiers.
Hamas might not be willing to release all of the remaining Israeli hostages since it would be the end of what little leverage they have. Hamas previously offered to free them in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but Netanyahu strongly rejected the proposal.
The remaining prisioners are, with 1 or 2 exceptions, all IDF or paramilitaries. Hence, the correct description would be POWs
Is a person who has a shoes tore 50 hours a week,and then a night watchman at a gate for an 8 hour shift,a civilian, or a para? D you have a list of all these hostages?
The settler security organizations would be defined as paramilitaries.
“Israel Says ‘Significant Gaps’ Remain After Hostage Deal Talks” Hamas refused to cut their own throats.
No,they rather cut hostages throats and some Gazan civilian’s throats.
Ceasefire is The only logical answer and I am with Hamas on this.
No return the hostages,even with some Arab political prisoners in exchange,and Hamas can then claim it was reasonable. You don’t get something for nothing from your foes.
Why not an exchange of ALL the hostages held by both sides, not just “some political prisoners?” That would give the Israeli regime a chance to show some good faith and possibly commit to ending its own hostage-taking policy.