Title: Tense Negotiations for Release of Abductees from Gaza Strip
The negotiation talks for the release of the abductees from the Gaza Strip are still ongoing, with a demand from the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, for the cessation of intelligence gathering in the Gaza Strip for six hours every day during the ceasefire.
The War Cabinet has convened to discuss the outline of the hostage deal that is taking shape, and the government met to approve the deal. A political official noted that “all the security forces are in favor of the plan, including the Mossad, the Shin Bet, and the IDF. Similarly, the members of the war cabinet are also in favor of the deal.”
During the ceasefire, according to Sinwar’s demand, the IDF forces will not gather intelligence in the style that was done during the maneuver for six hours, on each of the four days of the expected ceasefire. It was also reported that if there is a violation of the agreed ceasefire, there will be a “disproportionate” response.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, also addressed the issue, stating that “we are very close to a hostage deal, but nothing is over.” Meanwhile, there was a threat to Hamas that any violation of the ceasefire agreement would result in severe consequences.
The government also announced that they refused to allow people to move from the south to the north during the ceasefire, as it could jeopardize the progress made in encouraging the population to move south. The IDF will continue fighting immediately after the ceasefire ends in the north of the Gaza Strip, as approved by the political echelon.
This ongoing negotiation has caused nerve-wracking tension as the details of the kidnapping deal continue to take shape. The demand for the cessation of intelligence gathering during specific hours of the ceasefire has added another layer of complexity to the negotiations. Documentation revealed that Shifa Hospital was used as a terrorist infrastructure for Hamas during a prior massacre, adding to the complexity of the situation.
The negotiations for the release of the abductees from the Gaza Strip are of utmost importance and continue to be the focus of attention for both local and international actors.