All news reports that Hamas, Israel inching towards hostage deal are 'fake': Tel Aviv

Reports of any breakthrough in talks between Israel and Hamas on ceasefire are “fake”, top Israeli diplomatic officials were cited by various Hebrew media, who also stressed that gap between the two sides are “actually widening”. The unnamed Israeli officials also accused Hamas of digging in on its positions and blocking any potential compromise. “Reports of an agreement in principle to a ceasefire are not correct. There are very large gaps and there is no advancement in talks,” a report by Ynet news site quoted an Israeli official as saying. “It’s very complicated. Hamas is constantly hardening its position," the Israeli official added. Similar comments were carried by almost all the mainstream Hebrew-language news outlet, indicating they likely carried the government’s imprimatur. Earlier a report by Reuters quoted several sources saying Israel and Hamas have largely agreed on exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is stalled by both the sides due to differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war. Hamas wants to move forward with the plans only after the future conditions of a permanent ceasefire are agreed, Reuters quoted six sources as saying. The latest round of talks started on 28 December and has narrowed disagreement about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had initially proposed a pause of several months, the report quoted one of sources as saying. Hamas wants ‘package deal’ Israel has sought to negotiate one stage at a time, but Hamas wants a “package deal” that agrees a permanent ceasefire before are released during the initial phase, the report quoted a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts as saying. Israel and Hamas are not communicating directly and instead are talking through mediators including Qatar, United States, and Egypt. Work on to convince Hamas The Reuters report quoted two sources in Egyptian security saying there was work underway to convince Hamas to accept a one-month truce to be followed by a permanent ceasefire. However, the Palestinian terrorist group is requesting guarantees that the second phase of the deal would be carried out, in order to agree to the initial truce. On Monday, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said, “We are open to all initiatives and proposals, but any agreement must be based on ending the aggression and the occupation’s complete pullout from Gaza Strip.” Israel’s offer for ceasefire The report quoted another a senior Hamas official saying, one of the offers made by Israel to end war is to remove six senior Hamas leaders from Gaza. The Hamas, however, “absolutely” rejected the proposal, he added. The list included the masterminds of Hamas’ 7 October attacks on Israel, Yahya Sinwar and Mohamed al-Deif, who are Israel’s top targets to kill or capture in the war and are thought to be hiding deep within Hamas’ extensive network of tunnels beneath Gaza. Earlier this week, Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that only “total victory” over Hamas would bring an end to the war, but the Israeli Prime Minister is under extensive pressure to reach a deal, including from members of his war cabinet and the families of around 130 hostages who remain in captivity since the Hamas incursion. Qatar and Washington were instrumental in negotiating a week-long truce in November that led to the release of more than 100 hostages and around 240 Palestinian prisoners. On 28 December Qatar’s negotiators sent the framework of a new agreement to Hamas and Israel, asking both sides to indicate what they were prepared to agree to. When they responded earlier this month, Hamas sought a truce that would last several months, while Israel wanted all the hostages freed in weeks. In the past few weeks, US and Qatari mediators have drawn the two sides closer to agreeing the 30-day process, which would include the release of all hostages, entry of more aid to Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners. With inputs from Reuters