By Samia Nakhoul, Muhammad Al Gebaly and Nidal al-Mughrabi
DUBAI/CAIRO (Reuters) -Hamas has accepted a U.S. proposal to start talks on releasing Israeli hostages, together with troopers and males, 16 days after the primary part of an settlement geared toward ending the Gaza conflict, a senior Hamas supply advised Reuters on Saturday.
The militant Islamist group has dropped a requirement that Israel first decide to a everlasting ceasefire earlier than signing the settlement, and would permit negotiations to realize that all through the six-week first part, the supply advised Reuters on situation of anonymity as a result of the talks are personal.
A Palestinian official near the internationally mediated peace efforts had mentioned the proposal may result in a framework settlement if embraced by Israel and would finish the nine-month-old conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
U.S. Central Intelligence Company Director William Burns will journey to Qatar subsequent week for negotiations, a supply conversant in the matter mentioned.
A CIA spokesperson declined to verify Burns’ journey consistent with its coverage of not disclosing the spy chief’s travels.
The supply, who spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned the discussions would deal with resolving a Hamas demand that america, Israel, Qatar and Egypt assure in writing a brief ceasefire, assist deliveries and an Israeli troop withdrawal if oblique talks on implementing the second part of the plan continued.
A supply in Israel’s negotiating group, talking on situation of anonymity, mentioned on Friday there was now an actual likelihood of attaining settlement. That was in sharp distinction to previous cases, when Israel mentioned circumstances connected by Hamas had been unacceptable.
A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. On Friday his workplace mentioned talks would proceed subsequent week and emphasised that gaps between the edges nonetheless remained.
A U.S. official declined to verify the Hamas resolution, including, “There’s real progress, but still a lot of work to do.”
RISING DEATH TOLL
The battle has claimed the lives of greater than 38,000 Palestinians, based on Gaza well being officers, since Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 folks and taking some 250 hostages, based on official Israeli figures.
The Hamas supply additionally mentioned the brand new proposal ensures mediators would assure a brief ceasefire, assist supply and the withdrawal of Israeli troops so long as oblique talks proceed.
Efforts to safe a ceasefire and hostage launch in Gaza have intensified with energetic shuttle diplomacy amongst Washington, Israel and Qatar, which is main mediation efforts from Doha, the place the exiled Hamas management relies.
A regional supply mentioned Washington was attempting arduous to safe a deal earlier than the U.S. presidential election in November.
Netanyahu mentioned on Friday that the top of Israel’s Mossad intelligence company had returned from an preliminary assembly with mediators in Qatar and negotiations would proceed subsequent week.
Some households of hostages on Saturday gave a press release to reporters forward of a weekly hostage rally in Tel Aviv, during which they known as on Netanyahu to undergo with the deal.
“For the first time in many months, we feel hope,” mentioned Einav Zangauker, the mom of Matan Zangauker, 24, who was kidnapped from his kibbutz residence on Oct. 7. “This is an opportunity that cannot be missed,” she mentioned.
FIGHTING RAGES
In the meantime, Israeli forces stepped up army strikes throughout the enclave, killing no less than 29 Palestinians up to now 24 hours, and wounding 100 others, the territory’s well being officers mentioned.
Amongst these killed in separate air strikes had been 5 native journalists, elevating the dying toll of journalists since Oct 7 to 158, based on the Hamas-led Gaza authorities media workplace.
Israeli forces, which have deepened their incursions into Rafah, close to the border with Egypt, killed 4 Palestinian police and wounded eight others, in an air strike on their car on Saturday, well being officers mentioned.
An announcement issued by the Hamas-run inside ministry mentioned the 4 included Fares Abdel-Al, the top of the police pressure in western Rafah neighbourhood of Tel Al-Sultan.
The Israeli army mentioned forces continued “intelligence-base operations” in Rafah, destroyed a number of underground buildings, seized weapons and gear, and killed a number of Palestinian gunmen.
Israel mentioned its operations in Rafah aimed to eradicate the final Hamas armed wing battalions.
Within the central Al-Nuseirat camp, one of many enclave’s eight historic refugee camps, an Israeli air strike on a home killed 10 Palestinians, medics mentioned.
The Israeli army mentioned it eradicated a Hamas rocket cell that operated from inside a humanitarian-designated space. It mentioned it carried out a exact strike after taking measures to make sure civilians had been unhurt. Hamas denies Israeli accusations it makes use of civilian properties for army functions.
The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad mentioned fighters attacked Israeli forces in a number of areas of the enclave by anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.
(Reporting Samia Nakhoul and Muhammad Al Gebaly and Nidal al-Mughrabi; Further reporting by Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose in Jerusalem, Jonathan Landay in Washington and Andrea Shalal in Wilmington, Del.; Writing by Samia Nakhul, Muhammad Al Gebaly, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Patricia Zengerle; Modifying by Raju Gopalakrishnan, William Mallard, Toby Chopra, Daniel Wallis and Alistair Bell)