Israel criticizes Hamas' recent Gaza ceasefire proposal as 'unreasonable' but agrees to participate in upcoming talks

Israel has criticized the recent demands made by Hamas as "ridiculous" and "absurd." Despite this, Israel has announced that it will be sending a negotiation team to Qatar soon to continue discussions on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Hamas presented a new set of demands on Thursday, which includes requests for the release of a significant number of Palestinian prisoners and a potential agreement for a long-term ceasefire.

The long-awaited response from Hamas finally came after discussions about a proposed six-week pause in the fighting hit a roadblock. The Biden administration had been emphasizing that the ball was in Hamas' court to respond, with Israel showing willingness to a framework deal.

Hamas conveyed their latest proposal through mediators Qatar and Egypt on Thursday, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations speaking to CNN. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office mentioned that Hamas was sticking to "unrealistic demands," they also announced that an Israeli team would soon be heading to Doha for further discussions.

An agreement, if reached, is anticipated to involve several phases. In the initial stage, Hamas has suggested freeing Israeli hostages, specifically women - including IDF soldiers - as well as the elderly, sick, and wounded. It is estimated that this group comprises about 40 individuals out of the approximately 100 hostages still alive.

According to a diplomat knowledgeable about the negotiations, the most recent proposal put forth by Hamas calls for the release of 700 to 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. This information aligns with earlier reports from Reuters, as confirmed by the diplomat.

Hamas then proposed that both sides should release all remaining hostages and prisoners, including male IDF soldiers and more Palestinian prisoners. This included 100 prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, according to the diplomat.

However, the most challenging issues may arise from Hamas' conditions that Israel must agree to a permanent ceasefire and withdraw its military from Gaza after the initial exchange. Israel's government has firmly rejected these terms, stating that they will continue to fight against Hamas until achieving "complete victory."

Israel’s leaders have pledged to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians have taken shelter.

According to a diplomat knowledgeable about the talks, convincing Israelis to consider the Hamas proposal will be a challenging task.

An Israeli official told CNN that they anticipate tough negotiations ahead. They mentioned that the negotiators are heading to Doha because Hamas has finally responded.

The team will depart from Israel at the start of next week, according to a second official from Israel. A decision on the extent of the negotiating team's authority will be made by the end of Saturday. Even if both Hamas and Israel are involved in the discussions, they will not be in the same room.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that Israel's decision to send a negotiating team shows a sense of possibility and urgency to reach an agreement. The goal is to secure a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and more humanitarian assistance.

We are currently working closely with Israel, Qatar, and Egypt to address the remaining issues and work towards reaching a mutual agreement, as mentioned by Blinken.

Bill Burns, the CIA Director, has been leading the discussions on ceasefire for the Biden administration. He recently visited Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan, where he also had a meeting with Israeli Mossad director David Barnea.

The Biden administration is not planning to send a team to Qatar for the upcoming discussions. However, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby mentioned on Friday that Hamas' response aligns with the deal they have been working on for several months. He did not provide further details but indicated that the delegation traveling to Doha for talks is a promising development. Kirby emphasized that the final agreement could evolve after negotiations.

During a White House press briefing, Kirby reassured CNN's MJ Lee that the absence of a delegation in Qatar should not be seen as a lack of seriousness. He expressed optimism that the discussions could lead to positive progress.

The Biden administration has been pushing for a ceasefire to start right away, with a goal of at least six weeks. They were hopeful it could begin at the start of Ramadan earlier this week, but unfortunately, no agreement was reached.

During a meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, Ireland's prime minister urged for a ceasefire to happen "as soon as possible," which Biden acknowledged and agreed with.

A senior Hamas official mentioned that the White House's description of their reaction confirms the seriousness of Hamas in wanting a ceasefire agreement.

"We are firm on our demands for an end to the attacks on Gaza, the return of those who have been displaced, the withdrawal of the occupying forces, and the delivery of humanitarian aid," stated Basem Naim, a senior member of Hamas's political bureau, in an interview with CNN.

CNN’s Amir Tal, MJ Lee, Betsy Klein and Abeer Salman contributed reporting.

Editor's P/S:

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