(IntegrityPress.org) – President Joe Biden is encouraging a new proposal during the peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas that would see Hamas yield just 1 hostage for every 22 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel. The deal was introduced by CIA Director Bill Burns.
CNN reported that the deal would see 900 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons in the opening phase. Representatives from the U.S., Israel, Qatar, and Egypt were in attendance. Earlier talks were rejected, and thus far no deal has been achieved despite ongoing negotiations.
In exchange for the 900 Palestinians, Hamas would release just 40 of its hostages taken on October 7.
Biden is also pushing the Israelis to allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, presuming there’s anything left behind. Critics contend that this would allow Hamas terrorists the ability to flee Rafah in the south in advance of Israeli efforts to root out and exterminate the ruling authority in Gaza.
Hamas also reported that the deal won’t work as it stands as there aren’t 40 hostages left alive that meet the specific criteria outlined in the deal. They were targeting the release of women, men over 50 years old, and men under 50 with health problems. Hamas said they don’t have 40 hostages that fall into those groups.
Axios reporter Barak Ravid commenting on the talks said that they could reach the number if they’re allowed to fill the gap with a single-digit number of hostages from outside those categories. Israel told Hamas that if they release those hostages, they’d compromise and allow Palestinians to return to their homes in the northern part of Gaza. Israeli officials also said that the U.S. proposal would include an almost complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from the area that divides northern and southern Gaza and the removal of checkpoints which previously prevented them from returning.
Hamas will have to agree to give up some of its military-aged male hostages, which they believe are required leverage to achieve a permanent cease-fire.
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