The Japan Times - Israel team discusses hostages at truce talks dogged by divisions

Mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the initial phase of the ceasefire took effect on January 19, largely halting more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

That phase ended in early March, and though both sides have since refrained from all-out war, they have been unable to agree on the next stage of the ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that an Israeli negotiating team was "currently meeting in Egypt with senior Egyptian officials to discuss the issue of hostages".

Late on Saturday, Netanyahu had instructed Israeli negotiators to continue the indirect talks on the ceasefire.

He directed them to base the negotiations on what his office said was a proposal by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff that calls for the "immediate release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased hostages".

However, Witkoff told CNN on Sunday he had offered a "bridge proposal" that would see five living hostages, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander, released in return for freeing a "substantial amount of Palestinian prisoners" from Israel jails.

"I thought the proposal was compelling," Witkoff said.

Hamas on Friday had said it was ready to free Alexander and the remains of four others, who an official of the movement described as Israeli-Americans.

A Hamas official, however, said its delegation "held fruitful discussions with our Egyptian brothers, focusing on ways to advance the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in light of Hamas's acceptance of the updated American proposal," he said.

The official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak publicly on the Gaza truce, that Hamas had asked mediators "to compel the occupation (Israel) to implement the humanitarian protocol, immediately allow humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip, and begin the second phase of negotiations."

- Deadlock -

During the first phase of the truce agreement, Hamas released 33 hostages, including eight deceased, and Israel freed around 1,800 Palestinian detainees.

Since then, Hamas has consistently demanded negotiations for the second phase.

Former US president Joe Biden had outlined a second phase involving the release of remaining living hostages, the withdrawal of all Israeli forces left in Gaza and establishment of a lasting ceasefire.

Israel, however, seeks to extend the first phase until mid-April, insisting that any transition to the second phase must include "the total demilitarisation" of Gaza and the removal of Hamas, which has controlled the territory since 2007.

The talks are now at an impasse, with both sides sticking to their positions and accusing each other of obstructing progress.

Israel has cut aid and electricity to the territory during the talks deadlock.

"It's so hard for me to think about what they're (hostages) going through right now because I know that feeling," freed Israeli captive Omer Shem Tov said in a newly released video.

"It's a terrible feeling and it has to stop as soon as possible."

Gaza resident Mohammad Hallas, 41, said Hamas had no choice but to agree to release the hostages.

"The fastest way for Hamas to reach a solution is to free the prisoners," Hallas told AFP.

"The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and worsens every day. Everything is in Israel's hands, and Hamas only has the prisoners as a bargaining chip."

The October 7 attack resulted in 1,218 deaths on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, while Israel's retaliatory response in Gaza has killed at least 48,572 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from both sides.

- Air strikes -

Despite the fragile truce still holding, near-daily Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue.

On Sunday, Israel conducted an air strike targeting a "terrorist who was operating near IDF troops and attempting to plant explosive devices" in central Gaza, the military said.

The latest strike comes a day after strikes in north Gaza's Beit Lahia killed nine people, including four Palestinian journalists, said the territory's civil defence agency, in the deadliest attack on a single site since January 19.

Hamas condemned the attack as "a horrible massacre" and "a blatant violation of the ceasefire".

The Israeli military said it hit "a terrorist cell", adding that militants were operating a drone intended to carry out "terrorist attacks" against its troops.

K.Abe--JT