Israel and Hamas are analyzing the proposed terms of an agreement that would allow a ceasefire in the war in the Gaza Strip, which began four months ago, in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages who remain in the enclave and the release of freedom of many Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
Both parties remain very far apart regarding conditions. The mediators — Qatar, Egypt and the United States — are working to resolve differences. Here what each of the parties wants:
WHAT ISRAEL WANTS: Expel Hamas from power in Gaza.
WHAT HAMAS WANTS: Maintain your control over the coastal enclave.
THE POINT OF DISCORD: Israel’s central objective in its war against Hamas is to destroy the military and governance capabilities of the militant group, which has ruled Gaza since it seized the territory in 2007.
Following the Hamas attack on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken captive, according to Israeli authorities, Israel has vowed to ensure that the group does not again pose a threat to its citizens. He also states that he wants to maintain security control over the territory indefinitely once the war ends.
WHAT HAMAS WANTS: Release hundreds of imprisoned veteran Palestinian militiamen.
WHAT ISRAEL WANTS: Keep those militiamen in prison.
THE POINT OF DISCORD: Israel is holding thousands of Palestinians on minor or more serious charges — or, in some cases, no charges at all — related to the protracted conflict. Israel has agreed to unequal exchanges for its prisoners in the past. In one of these deals, in 2011, Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit was freed from Hamas captivity in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. Among those freed was Yehya Sinwar, the current leader of Hamas in Gaza who is considered one of the masterminds of the October 7 attack that sparked the war.
Hamas wants the release of hundreds of prisoners and is expected to call for the release of militants who were involved in some of the deadliest attacks carried out against Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies in the government oppose a pact that includes these high-ranking militants. They are also likely to reject the request to release such a large number of prisoners.
The fate of the prisoners arouses much apprehension. On the one hand, Israel considers them terrorists; on the other, Palestinians see them as heroes fighting against the Israeli occupation. Virtually every Palestinian has a friend, relative or acquaintance who has been detained by Israel.
WHAT ISRAEL WANTS: Resume fighting after the release of the hostages.
WHAT HAMAS WANTS: Secure in advance the commitment that the release of all hostages will lead to the end of the war.
THE POINT OF DISCORD: Netanyahu says Israel will continue fighting until “complete victory” over Hamas. Israel wants to maintain its armed force in the Gaza Strip to continue dismantling the militant group’s extensive network of underground tunnels, neutralize rocket launchers and kill militants to achieve its goal of destroying Hamas’s military capabilities.
The war has already caused widespread destruction, leaving parts of Gaza uninhabitable, displacing four-fifths of the population and unleashing a humanitarian catastrophe that has left a quarter of the population starving.
Hamas wants Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire before beginning to negotiate a gradual release of all hostages.
Source: Gestion
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