Hamas has given its consent to release the Israeli hostages. But instead of the 33 hostages proposed by Israel, Hamas has agreed to release 20 Israeli hostages. Israel offered to release 33 hostages. But Hamas has agreed to release 20 Israeli hostages in its custody.
Israeli Defense Ministry sources said Hamas had informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that it had decided to release 20 Israeli hostages, including women, the elderly and the sick. However, so far no official announcement has been made by Hamas or the mediating countries.
A three-member delegation of Hamas leaders led by Khalil al-Haywa has reached Cairo, the capital of Egypt, to negotiate a ceasefire with Israel and the release of Israeli hostages. Al-Haywa along with Zaheer Jabarin and Ghazi Hamad are also included in this three-member delegation.
The Israeli delegation is in Cairo for talks. The Israeli delegation is led by Mossad chief David Barnia. CIA Director William Burns has also arrived in Cairo to monitor mediation talks. Qatar and Egypt are playing the role of mediator in the talks.
Earlier, Israel proposed the release of 33 of its hostages held by Hamas in exchange for approximately 600 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
According to the information received from the sources, Hamas has also demanded a ceasefire for 40 days and then the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
However, the mediators have already been informed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Israeli army will attack the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip by next Friday if the mediation talks do not move forward.
According to the information received from the sources of the Prime Minister’s Office of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the United States said that there is no other option but a military operation on the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip. So that Hamas can be defeated and its hostages can be freed from Israel.