ISRAEL has proposed a prolonged truce in Gaza in exchange for the release of its remaining citizens held as hostages.
Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Monday, March 31, revealed that the proposal included the return of half of the 24 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza, nearly 18 months after they were taken by Hamas-led gunmen.
The ICIR reported that the Israeli military, which has halted aid to Gaza, resumed operations on March 18 following a two-month truce.
During the ceasefire, 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals were freed in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Israel has said that Hamas military and governmental infrastructure must be completely dismantled and insisted that the group, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, would have no role in the enclave’s future governance.
However, Hamas has expressed willingness to step aside for another Palestinian administration but refuses to disarm and insists on having a say in selecting the next government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, March 30, that his nation would intensify pressure on Hamas while continuing negotiations “under fire.”
He said sustained military pressure was the most effective way to secure the return of the hostages.
Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s demand for Hamas to disarm, but the Palestinian militant group has rejected the call, calling it a “red line” it will not cross.
Netanyahu said that under a broader settlement, Hamas leaders would be permitted to leave Gaza, a plan he said would also incorporate proposals from President Donald Trump for the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, on Monday, March 31, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for Palestinians residing in areas around the southern city of Rafah and announced plans for “intense operations” in the southern part of the enclave.
“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) is returning to intense operations to dismantle the capabilities of the terrorist organisations in these areas,” the military’s Arabic language spokesperson said in a statement.
However, Hamas said at the weekend that it had accepted proposals made by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, which security sources said would entail five hostages being released every week in exchange for a truce.
The ICIR reports that the latest proposals would leave the final agreement on ending the Israel-Hamas war unresolved. Since its onset in October 2023, the conflict has devastated large parts of Gaza, claimed tens of thousands of lives, and displaced nearly the entire population.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023.
According to Israeli reports, the attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 people who were taken into Gaza as hostages.
The Palestinian health authorities said the Israeli military campaign in Gaza had resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.