Israel gives Hamas one-week time to agree to hostage deal

Israel has given Hamas one week to agree to the hostage deal on the table or it will launch its long-pledged offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, reports The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The report doesn’t specify when the ultimatum was given, but cites Egyptian officials speaking Friday, meaning Hamas would have until next Friday to agree to the deal.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been threatening to enter Rafah for months, claiming repeatedly during that period that an invasion was imminent.

Hamas’s political leadership abroad was handed the latest proposal green-lit by Israel last weekend and is expected to arrive in Cairo in the coming days to discuss it further. However, the terror group’s preeminent leaders in Gaza — namely Yahya Sinwar-have yet to respond to the proposal, and it was unclear whether they’ve even seen it, as they hide in tunnels underneath Gaza.

Hamas’s leadership abroad has offered mixed signals regarding the latest offer, and unnamed Egyptian officials tell WSJ that the terror group is chafing at what it says is the proposal’s vague details regarding the length of the truce. Hamas wants a long-term ceasefire bolstered by US guarantees that Israel will respect its terms and fears the current proposal will allow Israel to resume fighting within a short period of time.

According to the report, the offer would include a first phase lasting up to 40 days in which up to 33 Israeli hostages would be released. Around this time, the sides would begin negotiations for a more permanent ceasefire. The second phase would last for at least six weeks and see the sides agree to a larger hostage release and commit to a further pause in fighting that could last up to a year.

WSJ says Hamas and Israel also remain at odds on the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, though the US has said Israel has agreed to the unrestricted return of Gaza civilians to areas cleared by the IDF. As for swapping Israeli hostages for Palestinian security prisoners, the sides have been largely in line with one another.

WSJ says Hamas will likely respond to the latest proposal with an updated offer of its own, rather than rejecting it outright.