Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there are indications that cease-fire talks with Hamas may move forward and that there may be more flexibility on both sides to reach a deal in Gaza.
Saar spoke at a conference held by the Israel Hayom. "I think we will know in the coming days," he said. "The basic principle is that Hamas cannot rule over Gaza, but we are committed to advancing the release of hostages," he said.
President Issac Herzog said there were negotiations currently behind the scenes and there was now a chance to bring the hostages home. Herzog met with the family of Edan Alexander who was seen in a psychological warfare video posted by Hamas on Saturday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to bring about his release and that of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas video of hostage Edan Alexander
"Now is the time," Herzog said. "My call is to the entire world, the leadership in Israel and all the countries mediating in the negotiations."
Earlier, the Saudi owned UK-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper cited Palestinian sources who said Hamas was more willing to discuss a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza after a similar deal was agreed in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The sources said a delegation of Hamas officials that were visiting Cairo to meet with Egyptian intelligence chief Major General Hassan Rashad were in fact already involved in a new round of talks with Egyptian and American mediation and were discussing the governing of Gaza after the war. According to the sources, Hamas would agree to the Palestinian Authority control of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt in exchange for the return of displaced Gazans to their homes in the northern part of the Strip.
Hamas was also willing to agree to a committee rule over the Strip, the Palestinian sources told the paper. That suggested was raised in the past and included a commission of professionals that would administer Gaza under the auspices of the PA and take responsibility over the distribution of humanitarian aid and prepare a plan for the rebuilding that would be required after the destruction caused by the war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had repeatedly rejected any role played by the PA in post-war Gaza.
The Qatari based Al Arabi Al Jadeed reported on a different Egyptian proposal being discussed. According to the report a committee of regional mediating countries would be established to oversee a 60-day transitional period like that one agreed on in the cease-fire deal with Hezbollah.
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The Egyptian proposal, the report said includes a broad role for Israel in overseeing the Rafah crossing, using surveillance equipment at every stage of the crossing process – in exchange for large amounts of aid being delivered into the Strip.
According to the paper, Israel and Egypt remain in disagreement over security arrangements along the Philadelphi Corridor. "Egypt rejects Israel's unilateral steps taken there, including positioning surveillance cameras positioned to see into the Sinai desert," the report said. According to the outlet, Israel has begun building observation towers along the narrow corridor and has installed cameras and other advanced surveillance equipment.