Hamas Might Accept 'Hostage Deal,' But Israel Rejects Prospect of Ending War in Gaza: Report

Jerusalem: The negotiation deal for the seven-month-long war in Gaza is underway in Egypt. While Hamas shows optimism, Israel on the other hand is on edge and sceptical about the deal maintaining that the truce would not end the raging war between the two.

While an official statement is awaited from Hamas, a Saudi newspaper, Al-Sharq, reported that the terror group is inclined towards moving the proposed deal, citing assurance of cease-fire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip by the US.

An Israeli official told the Israeli news outlet, Haaretz, "Israel will, under no circumstances, agree to end the war as part of a deal to release the hostages," adding that it is determined to enter Rafah "whether the cease-fire will be temporary or not."

This development comes as Hamas has multiple times shown positive signs towards the cease-fire deal drafted by Egypt.  This is because as the clock is ticking, pressure mounts by the US, urging Qatar to expel Hamas leaders if they reject the ceasefire.

However, another Israeli official gave similar confirmation indicating that Tel Aviv is "anxiously" waiting for an official response. "The information has not yet arrived, but in light of past experience, even if Hamas says it’s following the suggested framework, the small details and reservations it’ll eventually present may dissolve the whole deal," he asserted.

Similarly, Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz said, “I suggest to ‘political sources’ and all the decision-makers that they wait for official updates, to act calmly and not fall into hysteria for political reasons.”

On Friday, the terror group issued a statement saying, “We are determined to secure an agreement in a way that fulfils Palestinians’ demands.” 

Hamas on October 7 launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, claiming the lives of 1,200 people. In response to this, Tel Aviv launched a full-scale military attack in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians.