What does the negotiation between Israel and Hamas on hostages and ceasefire in Gaza involve?

The release of the hostages held by Hamas since October 7th in exchange for a ceasefire and, consequently, the cancellation of theattack on Rafah, the city in the south of the Gaza Strip where at least 1.7 million Palestinians who are now exhausted have sought refuge. This would be the focus of the feverish negotiations underway in recent days and a response from Hamas is expected today: Khalil al-Hayya will lead the delegation of the armed party that administers the Strip and, according to Al Jazeera, the organization she would have declared that she was willing to “discuss the new proposal positively”.

An Israeli source also confirmed to the Times Of Israel that “the only way to prevent the Jewish state’s army from entering Rafah” is reach an agreement on the hostages“. The same source confirmed that there is strong international pressure so that the operation does not take place. “No one – he admitted – wants Israel to enter Rafah.” Also for this reason, explains the Times Of Israel, in its counter-proposal Israel has made “major concessions”, including the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Strip: this is one of Hamas’ main demands.

Tensions within the Israeli government

However, even within the Israeli executive, pressure is increasing so that, after almost seven months, the release of the hostages becomes a priority. Precisely for this reason Benny Gantz, war cabinet minister and former chief of defense staff, openly declared that the return of people still in the hands of Hamas “is more important than the military operation in Rafah”. Not only. The minister also added that “the government would have no right to exist if its members prevented a hostage agreement.”

“Entering Rafah – Gantz wrote on X – is important in our long campaign against Hamas, but the return of the hostages captured on October 7 is of greater importance“.

However, the Israeli Finance Minister, the far-right exponent Bezalel Smotrich, has a completely different opinion and urged Netanyahu not to back down from the assault on Rafah, stating that accepting Egypt’s ceasefire proposal it would constitute a humiliating defeat against Hamas. “Without eradicating the government entity in Gaza,” Smotrich said in a video addressed to Netanyahu”a government led by you will have no right to exist.”

Diplomatic efforts to reach a truce and an agreement on the release of hostages in Gaza have been intensified in recent days. US news site Axios, citing two Israeli officials, reports that Israel’s latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss “restoring sustainable calm” in Gaza following the release of the hostages. It is the first time in nearly seven months of war that Israeli leaders say they are open to discussing ending the war.