A Palestinian official outlined a three-phase plan that would see civilians and female soldiers held hostage in Gaza be freed within the first 45 days and Israeli troops withdraw from city centers, the coastal road and a strategic strip of land along the border with Egypt. .
There would be a mechanism for displaced Gazans to return to the north of the territory, the official said.
The second stage involves the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of troops before the end of the third stage of the war.
Of the 96 hostages still in Gaza, Israel believes 62 are alive.
The plan appears to be based on the deal that US President Joe Biden outlined on May 31, with reports from all sides stressing that there are key details that need to be worked out.
A round of talks in mid-October failed to produce an agreement, as Hamas rejected a proposal for a short-term ceasefire.
According to his spokesman, Katz told members of the Israeli parliament’s foreign affairs committee on Monday, “We haven’t been this close to a hostage deal since the previous deal,” referring to the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners with Israel in November. 2023 year.
He has since written on X: “My position on Gaza is clear. Once we defeat the military and governmental force of Hamas in Gaza, Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action,” comparing it to the situation in the occupied West Bank. .
“We will not allow any terrorist activity against Israeli communities and Israeli citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to reality until October 7.”
Such comments are likely to be seen as problematic by negotiators trying to bridge rifts with Hamas. Still, they are seen in Israel as vital to securing the support of far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, who have previously warned they would not agree to what they called a “reckless” Gaza deal.
The Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas, which ruled Gaza, launched an unprecedented cross-border attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. About 1200 people were killed and 253 people were kidnapped.
More than 100 hostages have been released through negotiations or rescue operations by the Israeli military.
Israel has promised to destroy the leadership and military potential of Hamas. More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN and others consider reliable.
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced, there has been widespread destruction, and amid the ongoing struggle to provide aid to those in need, mass starvation is now rampant.
Donald Trump’s victory in the November US presidential election has given new impetus to diplomatic efforts.
At a press conference on Monday, he again warned that a ceasefire agreement must be reached before he takes office, saying otherwise “it will not be pleasant”.
