Israel offers two-month truce for hostage swap

Qatar and Egypt acting as mediators in proposed deal with Hamas, which still holds over 130 captives

‘Israelis will need to find the political will to engage in meaningful negotiations’

ISRAEL has proposed a two-month pause in fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages who are currently being held in the territory by Hamas, US media have reported.

Officials have offered the deal to Hamas through mediators in Qatar and Egypt, the political website Axios reported, citing top Israeli officials. It would not include any agreement to end the war.

More than 130 hostages are thought to still be held by the militant group and its affiliates, although several dozen are thought to have died since they were seized in the terrorist attacks on Oct 7.

Washington has been heavily involved in negotiations towards a deal to secure the release of hostages, with Brett Mcgurk, Joe Biden’s senior Middle East adviser, travelling to Egypt on Sunday.

He was due to continue to Qatar, which has been a key intermediary between Israel and Hamas.

American officials told Axios that reaching such an agreement might represent the only viable path towards a ceasefire in Gaza. Mr Biden has been facing growing pressure from within his own party to demand an end to the fighting.

Israeli officials are understood to be awaiting a response from Hamas, but they are “cautiously optimistic”, according to Axios.

Meanwhile, the European Union intends to press ahead with peace talks to end the war in Gaza without the involvement of Israel, according to an internal document.

A 12-point peace plan drawn up by the Brussels foreign affairs arm states that it is “unrealistic to assume that Israelis and Palestinians will shortly directly engage in bilateral peace negotiations”.

Instead, the bloc proposed parallel talks with the United States, United Nations, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the League of Arab States, while threatening “consequences” against Israel if it refuses to engage.

“Palestinians will need a revitalised political alternative to Hamas, while Israelis will need to find the political will to engage in meaningful negotiations towards the two-state solution,” the document, circulated to European capitals and seen by says.