The fate of the hostages is the focus
Israel said it had informed the families of 31 people held in Gaza since October 7 that their loved ones had died. The news came as Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Hamas had given a “generally positive” response to proposals for a deal that would see a halt in fighting and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for more hostages.
Relatives of hostages being held in Gaza protested, demanding that the Israeli government take more drastic measures to free those held captive - Photo: Times of Israel
According to the latest information, Hamas has proposed a plan for a ceasefire in Gaza for 4 and a half months. During this time, all hostages will be freed, and Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza.
The rebel group's proposal - a response to an offer made by Qatari and Egyptian mediators last week and endorsed by Israel and the United States - comes in the biggest diplomatic effort to end the long-running Gaza truce.
According to Israeli military intelligence obtained by The Guardian, the death toll is equivalent to more than a fifth of the 136 remaining hostages being held in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal, citing another source shared by Israel with US and Egyptian officials, said the number of hostages killed in Gaza could be as high as 50.
This estimate was made by Israel during hostage talks in Cairo in recent weeks and has played a key role in negotiations for the release of hostages - alive and dead - still being held in Gaza, according to Egyptian officials.
If Israel's latest estimate is correct, it would mean that about 80 of the 132 hostages believed to be held by Hamas or other militant groups are still alive, and that the militants are holding dozens of the bodies of those they kidnapped. So far, none of the dead have been returned.
The number of hostages alive and dead is at the heart of talks brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, which propose that both groups of hostages be returned in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The issue is also extremely politically sensitive in Israel, where the fate of the hostages is at the heart of public debate. Families of the hostages and a large segment of the Israeli public have protested, demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government do more to free the captives even if it hampers the fight against Hamas.
The Israeli government uses a series of strict forensic criteria before declaring any hostages officially dead and has tasked a special committee of three medical experts with determining this. The committee relies on classified intelligence, video footage and witness testimony. The group first met two weeks after the start of hostilities, but was not given access to the bodies in Gaza.
According to committee members, the committee's decisions are never based solely on a single piece of information such as a photo, a Hamas statement or a witness, but by cross-referencing multiple pieces of information.
Hamas's response and core questions
The core of the negotiations, analysts say, hinges on whether there will be implicit or explicit guarantees that the extended ceasefire will become permanent and whether the number of Palestinian prisoners likely to be released meets Hamas's demand for Israeli jails to be nearly empty. The future status and presence of Israeli forces inside Gaza during the ceasefire is also in dispute.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss with regional leaders a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas - Photo: WSJ
A statement issued by Hamas spoke of “a complete and comprehensive ceasefire, ending the aggression against our people”. Israel has previously ruled out a permanent ceasefire and is believed to be proposing only a 40-day pause in fighting.
These differences are an obstacle to the negotiations. But Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani of Qatar, which is acting as a mediator between the two sides, said Hamas’s response to the proposals put forward by the US and Israel “inspires optimism”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking with the Qatari prime minister on his fifth trip to the region since the October 7 attack, also said he would discuss Hamas’ response to Israel. “There is still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to believe that a deal is possible and absolutely necessary,” Blinken said.
Secretary Blinken's visit comes amid growing Egyptian concern over Israel's stated intention to expand the war in Gaza to areas on Egypt's border, particularly the city of Rafah, home to more than 1 million displaced Palestinians.
The US sees a ceasefire in Gaza as the most realistic way to reduce tensions further afield, particularly in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been staging attacks on ships they say are linked to Israel.
Nguyen Khanh
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