Proposed Gaza deal to include 35 hostages for 35-day pause in fighting: Report

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency David Barnea has presented an outline for a proposed hostage deal with Hamas that could include the release of 35 captives in return for a 35-day pause in fighting, according to Israeli media on Thursday.

The first stage of the proposed deal would see the release of women, sick, injured, and elderly hostages, Israeli Channel 12 reported.

The pause could be extended for another week to allow for talks on a second stage of releases, including members of civilian defense squads and male hostages, the broadcaster said.

It is not yet clear how many Palestinian detainees will be released in return, but Hamas demands the release of “quality” prisoners as part of the deal.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Hamas insists Marwan Barghouti, Ahmed Saadat and Abdullah Barghouti be on the list of prisoners to be released in any new deal.

Barghouti, 64, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee, is most favored to chair the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority after President Mahmoud Abbas, according to Palestinian opinion polls.

He was arrested by Israel in 2002 and slapped with five life sentences.

Saadat, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was arrested in 2008 and slapped with a 30-year jail term in connection with the killing of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001.

Abdullah Barghouti is a top Hamas leader and was slapped with multiple life sentences for a spate of attacks against Israelis.

Israel refused to include the three leaders in a previous prisoner exchange deal with Hamas in 2011, which saw the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in return for over 1,000 Palestinian detainees.

The White House said Monday that negotiators seeking to broker a deal for the release of additional hostages held by Hamas have developed a “framework” that could lead to an eventual deal.

On Tuesday, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh confirmed that his group is studying a proposal for a cease-fire deal with Israel.

Hamas is believed to be holding nearly 136 Israelis following its cross-border attack on Oct. 7.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, killing at least 26,900 Palestinians and injuring 65,949. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio