Egypt Mediates New Hostage Deal for Israel amid Tensions
Recent reports suggest that Israel has asked Egypt to negotiate a fresh hostage agreement with Hamas, following the release of 105 hostages during the ceasefire, as per "Al Arabi Al Jadid." Although Hamas has set preconditions for new negotiations, the parties are holding initial discussions to draft a possible agreement.
As per the Al Arabi Al Jadid report, a ceasefire and Israel's involvement should be part of any new deal. However, Hamas has allegedly denied any new negotiations. The hosts of the group's political bureau in Gaza, Bassem Naem, expressed their continued rejection of negotiations before a ceasefire is implemented.
The Qatari newspaper reported that Egyptian and Israeli secret services had been in contact over the weekend, regarding the Gaza war, based on unidentified sources. Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" reported, citing Palestinian sources, that Egypt and Qatar are discussing the terms of a potential agreement. However, there are no concrete results to report as of yet. The US broadcaster CNN confirmed that the head of Israel's foreign intelligence service, David Barnea, would not be traveling to Qatar to restart talks on exchanging hostages.
The recent tensions between Israel and Hamas intensified after the Israeli-Islamic Hamas ceasefire ended in late November. Despite the agreement, Israel allegedly accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by firing on Israeli territory. During the ceasefire, 105 hostages were released.
Aside from the hostage negotiations, Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely rejected the possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Hotovely, a member of Likud—the Israeli ruling party, cited the failure of the Oslo peace process as the reason for dismissing the two-state solution. She suggested that the Palestinians never sought their own state alongside Israel, but aspired to seize the entire territory of Israel.
The Israeli Minister for Social Equality, Amichai Chikli, hinted at the possibility of establishing Israeli settlements in Gaza. Chikli believed that certain areas of Gaza would be suitable for Israeli settlements after the war. He also criticized the Palestinian Authority for its role in Gaza, stating that it was a "fictitious authority" and that Israel's soldiers had died to prevent it from gaining control.
In essence, the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding hostages are shrouded in tensions and uncertainties. The agreement's success hinges on resolving the fundamental disagreements between the two parties regarding the terms of the ceasefire and the future of Gaza.
