Reports: Israel agreed to Egyptian-mediated hostage deal

Families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza attend a 'holiday" table calling for the release of the hostages, at "Hostage Square" in Tel Aviv, April 27, 2024. (Photo: Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

According to a report in MAKO, Israel has agreed to a hostage deal with the Hamas terrorist organization. The deal would include the release of 20 hostages in the first stage and continued negotiations with Hamas for the release of the remaining hostages as well as an end to the IDF operation in Gaza in later stages.

Following the report, an Israeli political official told MAKO that, "Israel has not agreed to the terms of the deal. We are not willing to put an end to the war, withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and other stipulations presented in the deal. We have made a counter-offer of our own."

Israeli officials are also claiming that the agreement is preliminary in nature and that Hamas will eventually reject this deal as it has previous ones. According to the report, while the military echelon is against a deal that would see the IDF forced to leave northern Gaza, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi believe the deal is the IDF's first priority since the hostages' "days are numbered."

Halevi and Gallant also believe that the IDF can "handle any challenge that comes its way" and deal with the consequences of freeing hundreds of terrorists and further postponing the operation in Rafah.

Netanyahu's position

According to the report, individuals who have spoken to the Prime Minister over the past day believe Netanyahu will have to be persuaded to sign off on a deal that's not necessarily in Israel's best interests. Netanyahu is against ending the military operation and allowing terrorists to return to the northern Strip. He is also afraid that the Hague will vote to pass sanctions against himself and other officials for "war crimes" committed in Gaza, and believes that this can change the outcome of the war.

Deal would likely signal the end of the right-wing government

Both Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir have signalled that their parties would quit Netanyahu's coalition if a "bad" deal is signed with Hamas. Smotrich has called the deal a "total surrender to the Nazi enemy," while Ben Gvir has expressed similar sentiment.