By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israeli sources say Israel will offer a six-week ceasefire in exchange for 40 hostages during mediated talks with Hamas, which is holding Israelis.
This stage of the negotiations in Qatar could take at least two weeks, officials familiar with the talks said Monday.
Israel’s high-level delegation involved in the negotiations is headed by David Barnea, the chief of Mossad, Israel’s famed intelligence agency, Worthy News learned.
Israel has come under mounting international pressure to introduce a ceasefire in the five-month war, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others as hostages.
The Israeli government seeks the destruction of Hamas, deemed a terrorist organization by Israel and most of its allies.
Besides offering a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel could also agree on the release of 400 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel in exchange for 40 female, elderly, and wounded hostages, Worthy News monitored.
FEMALE HOSTAGES
However, Hamas demanded last week the release of over 1,000 Palestinians, including roughly 100 serving lifetime sentences for murdering Israelis.
In exchange, it would reportedly release 40 female, elderly, and wounded hostages, including five female soldiers.
It was unclear Monday whether the gap between the two demands could be breached, but there was pressure on Israel to compromise.
Hamas recalls a 2011 deal that freed the single Israel Defense Soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,026 Palestinian prisoners, including Hamas’ current Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar.
Israel’s government faces domestic and U.S. pressure to accept a cease-fire deal, with protesters in Tel-Aviv demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “does more” to free the remaining hostages.
The Israeli government believes that 34 hostages have been killed, leaving 100 hostages still in Gaza.
MORE STAGES
If both sides agree on the release of 40 hostages, the following two stages in a broader plan towards the release of all hostages will be discussed, Worthy News learned.
The two most difficult Hamas demands for Israel are for the IDF to withdraw from a corridor it created south of Gaza City to prevent Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, Israeli media reported.
Additionally, Hamas has reportedly demanded that Israel agree to a permanent ceasefire during the “second stage” of the deal.
This would come after the initial six-week ceasefire and be in exchange for the release of the remaining male hostages.
Israel will also have to release a large number of Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for those remaining male hostages.
In the “third stage,” when Israel seeks the release of bodies held by Hamas, “the terror group demands agreements” about the “reconstruction” of Gaza and the end of “Israel’s blockade” on the area, Israeli sources said.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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