Netanyahu Rejects 'Partial Hostage Release and 5-Day Ceasefire Proposal' in Early Stage of War

Currently Negotiating Hostage Situation Through Qatar Mediation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly rejected a proposal to establish a five-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of some hostages held in the Gaza Strip during the early stages of the war with the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 9th (local time), the British daily The Guardian reported this, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately rejected the proposal during negotiations held shortly after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on the 7th of last month, killing civilians and abducting hostages. Among the proposals on the negotiation table at the time was a plan to establish a five-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of children, women, the elderly, and the sick among the hostages. However, the Israeli government rejected the negotiation plan and soon after deployed ground forces.

Both Israel and Hamas resumed negotiations even after the ground war began on the 27th of last month. However, Netanyahu continued to firmly reject the temporary ceasefire proposal in exchange for the release of hostages.

The Guardian also reported, citing another source, that Hamas had proposed releasing dozens of hostages, including foreign nationals, in other negotiations held before the Israeli ground forces were deployed.

However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office has not responded to inquiries about the hostage negotiations.

Currently, Israel and Hamas are reportedly conducting hostage negotiations mediated by Qatar. Recently, they discussed a proposal to release 10 to 15 hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire lasting one to three days, but the outcome remains uncertain. The two sides are also said to have differing positions regarding the provision of an accurate list of detained hostages. Israel insists it cannot agree to a ceasefire before receiving the full list of hostages, while Hamas argues that since the hostages are scattered throughout the Gaza Strip, it cannot provide the complete list unless the attacks stop.

One source conveyed the atmosphere, saying, "Every time the negotiation proposal reached Netanyahu, it came back with tougher demands."

The number of hostages taken to the Gaza Strip during Hamas's attack last month is estimated to be about 240. As the war has continued for over a month, public opinion within Israel is increasingly calling for the government to prioritize hostage negotiations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.