Israel Firm on Gaza Truce Terms

Latest Developments

Israel said on February 24 that any new Gaza truce must entail the release of all remaining hostages and allow for resumption of its war against Hamas. Mossad Director David Barnea led Israel’s delegation to weekend talks in Paris, France, concerning the possibility of another mediated truce with the Palestinian terrorist group. Attendees included U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and Egyptian Intelligence Minister Major General Abbas Kamel.

Returning from the talks to brief Israel’s War Cabinet, Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told N12 News Television on February 24 there appeared to be signs that progress could be made toward a deal. Hanegbi explained that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had tasked the delegation with making Israel’s guiding principles clear to the mediators. These principles included, first, return of all 134 hostages — including the 32 hostages that Israel has declared dead in absentia — over the course of any deal’s implementation. Second, the first group of returned hostages would include “all women and children.” And third, any agreement “can in no way be interpreted” as the end of the war.

Hamas has previously said that Israel must end the war, withdraw all forces from Gaza, and release all of the thousands of Palestinian terrorists from its jails in exchange for return of all hostages.

Expert Analysis

“The Israelis have said from the outset that this war is an existential necessity that will not end until Hamas ends. They have kept to that. The question is whether Hamas will stick to its dwindling guns or seek to cut a deal that might enable its cadres to surrender and its leaders to escape into exile.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“Time and again, Hamas has stated that it will not engage in negotiations while under attack and will not free the hostages until the war is over. However, it appears that its demands have now softened. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations are increasingly reliant on each other for support at this current stage of the conflict, due to a shortage of manpower and ammunition. These changes indicate that Hamas is negotiating from a weakened position and that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s strategy of applying military pressure on the terrorist groups in Gaza to secure the hostages’ release is proving effective.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Related Analysis

“Israel Sends Negotiators to Hostage Talks in Paris,” FDD Flash Brief

“Unless Hamas Releases Hostages, Israel to Push into Rafah During Ramadan,” FDD Flash Brief

“U.S., Egyptian, Qatari, and Israeli Officials End Talks Without A Deal,” FDD Flash Brief