Hamas says it will drop permanent cease-fire demand in hostage deal

Ehren Wynder
·2 min read
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UPI
About 120 Israeli hostages of the approximately 205 taken in the Oct. 7 attacks remain in Hamas custody. File Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI

July 6 (UPI) -- Hamas on Saturday said it is ready to concede its demand for a permanent cease-fire before signing a hostage deal with Israel.

The militant group, according to reporting from CNN, said it would accept talks on reaching a permanent cease-fire during the first six weeks of hostage negotiations.

Hamas has long demanded that Israel agree to a permanent cease-fire before signing any deal, which Israel would not accept, leading to months of stalled negotiations.

Mediators also would guarantee a temporary cease-fire, delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and withdrawal of Israeli troops as long as negotiations continue.

Hamas said it wanted to ensure it didn't turn over too many of its hostages only for Israel to continue its sweep of the Gaza strip, the New York Times reported. Israel, on the other hand, wanted to be able to resume fighting if it deemed necessary.

Mossad director David Barea on Friday met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who has served as one of the primary mediators in negotiating a deal.

Barea met with mediators to discuss the framework of a potential new deal, but he was not accompanied by other senior Israeli officials working on the deal, according to NYT.

President Joe Biden in May unveiled a proposed three-phase truce between Israel and Hamas establishing a blueprint for the release of all remaining hostages in return for a permanent cease-fire and withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the embattled enclave.

Hamas has about 120 remaining hostages out of the approximately 205 Israelis taken in the Oct. 7 attacks. Israeli officials presume about one-third of them dead.

Hamas released 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners during a temporary cease-fire in November, but the group has refused to release any more until a permanent end to the fighting is guaranteed.