The Biden administration has in recent days presented new language for parts of the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in an effort to bridge the gaps between them and reach an agreement, three sources with direct knowledge told Axios.
Why it matters: Hopes of getting a deal that would return hostages held by Hamas and end nearly nine months of war in Gaza were dashed earlier this month when Hamas didn't accept the most recent proposal from Israel.
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hamas presented "numerous changes" in their response that went beyond its previous positions.
- The new effort, which hasn't been reported before, is based on the Israeli proposal that was approved by Israel's war cabinet and presented by President Biden in a speech last month.
- The Biden administration is still pushing for a three-phase deal that would lead to the release of the remaining 120 hostages being held by Hamas and to "sustainable calm" in Gaza, where more than 37,700 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, according to local health authorities.
Driving the news: Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walked back the proposal and told Israel's Channel 14 that he is interested in a "partial deal" with Hamas that will free "some of the hostages" held in Gaza and allow Israel to continue fighting in the enclave.
- A day later, under pressure from the U.S., Qatar and hostages families, Netanyahu corrected his comments and recommitted to the proposal.
Zoom in: The three sources said the effort the U.S. is making together with Qatari and Egyptian mediators is focused on Article 8 in the proposal.
- This part of the agreement has to do with the negotiations that are supposed to start between Israel and Hamas during the implementation of the first stage of the deal in order to set the exact conditions for the second stage of the deal, which includes reaching "sustainable calm" in Gaza.
- Hamas wants these negotiations to focus only on the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners who will be released from Israeli jails in return for every living Israeli soldier or male hostage held in Gaza, the sources said.
- Israel on the other hand wants to have the ability to raise the de-militarization of Gaza and other issues during these negotiations.
Behind the scenes: The sources said U.S. officials drafted new language for Article 8 in order to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas and are pushing Qatar and Egypt to press Hamas to accept the new proposal.
- "The U.S. is working very hard to find a formula that will allow reaching a deal," a source with director knowledge of the talks told Axios.
- Another source said that if Hamas agrees to the new language presented by the U.S. "it will allow to close the deal."
