U.S. and Egypt Ramp Up Pressure on Hamas as Hostage Deal Negotiations Stall

By Yoni Weiss

Reports from the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic newspaper on Sunday reveal heightened diplomatic efforts by the US and Egypt to pressure Hamas into accepting a hostage deal with Israel. The focus lies on preventing a potential IDF operation in Rafah.

Egyptian mediators conveyed to Hamas the importance of accepting the proposed deal, emphasizing that failure to do so would grant Israel legitimacy to intervene in Rafah. The proposed agreement aims for a phased approach, with the initial phase involving the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire. Other contentious issues, such as the cessation of the war and future governance of Gaza, would be addressed in subsequent phases.

Additionally, recent discussions have seen Israel showing unprecedented flexibility, signaling a willingness to engage in talks about ending the war in Gaza. Key concessions include the potential return of Gazans to their homes, withdrawal of IDF presence from certain areas, and a commitment to a permanent ceasefire.

Notably, this marks the first instance of Israel openly considering negotiations for ending the war as part of ongoing discussions. The proposal, developed in collaboration with Egyptian intelligence and Israeli negotiation teams, takes into account Hamas’ stance and its capacity for compromise.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, Hamas has rejected the latest proposal for a hostage release deal. Reports indicate that Hamas only agreed to release 20 of the 133 hostages it holds, in exchange for a six-week ceasefire.