Negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza have hit new complications, with Hamas insisting on written guarantees and freedom of movement for Palestinians returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, according to senior Hamas officials speaking to the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.
The demands come at a delicate moment in the talks, which appeared to be gaining momentum after Hamas reportedly dropped its initial requirement for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The latest obstacles highlight the complex choreography required to achieve even a temporary pause in the fighting.
At the heart of the current impasse are several key issues. Hamas is demanding that Israel provide written assurances for implementing all stages of any agreement - a requirement that speaks to the deep mistrust between the parties. The militant group is also pushing back against Israeli plans to screen Palestinians returning to northern Gaza, and opposing Israel's intention to deport certain Palestinian prisoners abroad.
The proposed deal, as outlined by multiple sources familiar with the negotiations, would unfold over 45-60 days and begin with the release of approximately 30 hostages, including both living captives and remains of the deceased. In exchange, Israel would withdraw its forces from several Gaza cities while maintaining control of two strategic corridors - one along the Egyptian border and another cutting through central Gaza.
"There's now an intense desire to end the war at any cost," a Hamas official told The Washington Post earlier this week, signaling what appeared to be a significant shift in the group's position. But that optimism is now being tested by the granular details of implementation.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz maintained on Monday that a deal was "closer than ever," even as his government pushed back against Hamas's latest demands. The statement reflected a pattern in these negotiations: apparent progress followed by new obstacles, with both sides carefully managing expectations.
The talks are taking place against the backdrop of mounting international pressure for a humanitarian pause in the fighting, which has displaced the majority of Gaza's 2.2 million residents and created what the United Nations describes as a humanitarian catastrophe.
For Israel, the negotiations present a difficult balancing act between its declared goal of dismantling Hamas and the urgent need to secure the release of hostages taken during the October 7 attacks. For Hamas, the talks offer a potential respite from Israel's military campaign while allowing the group to demonstrate its continued relevance as a governing authority in Gaza.
The current framework would allow Palestinian women and children to return to northern Gaza, a significant concession from Israel, which had previously designated the area a military zone. However, the mechanisms for this return - particularly the screening process - have become a new point of contention.
Regarding prisoner releases, Hamas is specifically objecting to Israel's insistence on deporting what Israeli officials term "prisoners with blood on their hands" - those convicted of involvement in deadly attacks. The militant group is also pushing for the release of long-term security prisoners and what it calls the "prisoner leadership."
