Israeli authorities understand that this proposal is unlikely to be accepted by Hamas, the report said. However, it was discussed at least twice over the past 30 days - last month in Warsaw by the head of the Israeli Secret Intelligence Service (Mossad), David Barnea, and in January, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Doha, the broadcaster reported.
On Monday, the Axios news portal reported, citing two Israeli officials, that Israel proposed a two-month pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip to Hamas in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages.
The deal would involve releasing all remaining hostages who are alive and returning the bodies of the dead in several phases. The first phase would include releasing women, men over 60 and hostages who are in critical medical condition, the officials said. The next phases would include releasing female soldiers, men under 60 who are not soldiers, male Israeli soldiers and the bodies of hostages.
According to officials, Israel approved ten days ago the parameters of a new proposal for a hostage deal that differs from previous aspects of deals rejected by Hamas and is more forward-looking than previous Israeli proposals.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 25,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1.