Israel says hostage swap negotiations with Hamas have reached a dead end

JERUSALEM

The Israeli military’s envoy to negotiations aimed at freeing hostages held in Gaza expressed pessimism Tuesday over mediation attempts between Israel and Hamas.

Gen. Nitzan Alon spoke with families of Israelis held captive in Gaza and informed them that the talks had reached a dead end, according to Israel's Channel 12.

“At the moment, there is no deal,” he told the families, saying “the gaps are too great.”

Asked by one family representative if he could provide a time frame for an agreement, Alon replied: “I can’t.”

Another family representative responded with frustration, suggesting that without a timeline, the situation could extend for several more months during the US presidential election cycle.

Channel 12 reported that the overall sentiment among the families was one of frustration and pessimism.

“The families are left desperate, frustrated and hurt,” it said.

Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported Thursday that Tel Aviv had submitted a new proposal to Washington aimed at facilitating a prisoner exchange and ending the conflict in Gaza.

Despite this, Hamas has repeatedly said that it does not wish to entertain new proposals and it stands by the framework put forward by US President Joe Biden in late May.

In May, Biden said Israel presented a three-phase deal that would end hostilities in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held in the coastal enclave. The plan includes a cease-fire, a hostage-prisoner exchange and the reconstruction of Gaza.

Tel Aviv’s latest proposal reportedly includes “safe passage for (Hamas leader) Yahya Sinwar and others wishing to leave Gaza, the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners, the disarmament of Gaza and the implementation of a governance mechanism for the territory,” according to the broadcaster.

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 41,500 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and around 96,100 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio