Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Israel is not actively participating in ongoing negotiations for a hostage deal taking place in Doha between Egypt, Qatar and Hamas, despite increasing efforts by regional mediators to reach an agreement ahead of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which begins Sunday.
In recent days, multiple versions of potential agreements have been floated, with Hamas reportedly expressing willingness to release five live hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire.
2 View gallery
Protesters in Tel Aviv demanding release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza
(Photo: Amit Shabi)
Israel, however, continues to insist—based on a framework proposed by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff—that Hamas must release ten of the 24 hostages believed to still be alive. An additional 35 hostages are presumed dead, and Hamas is reportedly open to releasing the bodies of some of them.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, no final deal is expected before Eid al-Fitr, but there is a significant push to reach an agreement before the Jewish holiday of Passover. “There’s a chance something could materialize,” a senior Israeli official said.
Qatari newspaper The New Arab reported Saturday, citing Egyptian officials, that Hamas has agreed to a new proposal that includes the release of Israeli-American IDF soldier Edan Alexander, along with four additional hostages—both living and deceased. “The ball is now in the court of the Israeli and U.S. governments,” the sources said.
However, Israeli officials maintain Hamas had already committed to releasing five living hostages, not including those who have died.
Saudi-owned channel Asharq News reported that Egyptian and Qatari delegations are currently engaged in talks with Hamas in Doha, discussing the possible exchange of five hostages for Palestinian prisoners and a 50-day ceasefire.
The proposal reportedly includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces to pre-war positions, reopening the Rafah border crossing for medical evacuations and increased delivery of humanitarian aid and food to Gaza.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
According to the report, mediators are also in contact with Israel and the United States to finalize the details, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet authorized the dispatch of a new Israeli delegation to the talks.
Meanwhile, fighting continues in the Gaza Strip. On Saturday, an IDF D9 bulldozer operating in the central buffer zone was struck by an explosion—an unusual incident since the collapse of the recent ceasefire. No injuries were reported, and initial assessments suggest the blast may have been caused by an old explosive device.
In a separate incident, terrorists fired mortar shells at Israeli forces, prompting retaliatory fire across the Gaza border. The IDF later confirmed that three mortars were launched toward its troops near Khan Younis, with no casualties reported.