Israel update on proposed hostage deal

Sources close to the negotiations reported that there is concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent demands might be creating unnecessary obstacles. They suggest that Netanyahu's hard-line stance could be an attempt to force Hamas to make concessions, but this approach risks endangering the hostages’ lives, according to Ynet sources.

They also noted that time is running out as it will soon be a month since Hamas showed a willingness to negotiate. There are fears that Netanyahu’s actions, particularly his emphasis on the Philadelphi Corridor and northern Gaza, are complicating the process and hindering progress.

According to these sources, Netanyahu’s position is seen as isolating, potentially preventing further negotiations and adding unnecessary risk to the situation. The Israeli stance is said to be contributing to stagnation in the talks, with unclear intentions about whether a deal is truly desired.

Meanwhile, a senior Palestinian source indicated that Hamas is rejecting any new proposals and insists on sticking to the previous offer, which did not include additional Israeli conditions. Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha reiterated that the group remains committed to the initial proposal and will not entertain new conditions that do not include a clear path to a cease-fire.

Reuters reported that one of Israel’s conditions is to conduct inspections of Gazans returning to northern Gaza once a cease-fire is in place, to prevent armed militants from re-entering. Additionally, according to an Egyptian source, Israel's demand to maintain control over the Philadelphi Corridor is another sticking point, with Cairo rejecting this demand as it was not part of the original agreement proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden.