Haaretz today, August 31st.
Israel's Cabinet Not Expected to Discuss Hostage Deal Despite Hamas' Approval Two Weeks Ago
Netanyahu has not officially rejected the cease-fire proposal as of yet, but political sources have indicated that the current framework is 'irrelevant.' Minister Miki Zohar hinted that Israel is expected to issue an official rejection soon.
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The Israeli security cabinet is not expected to discuss on Sunday a framework for a partial hostage release deal, according to several sources familiar with the matter.
Instead, the cabinet ministers are expected to focus primarily on progress in preparations for a military operation to take control of Gaza City. Even last Tuesday, the cabinet convened without discussing a deal, amid widespread protests across the country calling for the release of the hostages and despite Hamas having accepted the mediators' proposal two weeks ago.
According to a political source, no new decision on the matter is expected in tomorrow's meeting, after the decision to take over Gaza was approved last week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the smaller security cabinet.
Ministers will also discuss the intentions of several countries to recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September, as well as possible Israeli responses. These could include ministers' calls for annexation, imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, or evacuating the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank, despite the international criticism such a move would provoke.
So far, Prime Minister Netanyahu has not officially announced a postponement of the partial deal framework that Hamas agreed to about two weeks ago, nor has he presented a clear alternative plan.
However, political sources have indicated that the current formula is "irrelevant" from Israel's perspective.
Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, who is not a member of the cabinet, hinted on Saturday on the Israeli program Meet the Press that Israel is expected to issue an official statement rejecting the framework soon. "There is a clear decision by the State of Israel, which will be communicated more explicitly in the coming days. Only a full deal is possible; there is no longer an option for a partial deal," Zohar said.
The framework approved by Hamas is an updated version of the "Witkoff framework" presented by the U.S. administration, based on principles provided by Israel. Sources explained that the formula approved by Hamas is almost identical to the version Israel supported until about a month ago.
The proposed framework includes the release of ten living hostages and 18 bodies of hostages during a 60-day cease-fire. Israel is expected to release, in exchange for the living hostages, 140 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 60 prisoners serving sentences of more than 14 years. In return for each hostage body, ten bodies of Palestinians held in Israel would be released. The proposal also includes a partial withdrawal of the IDF from areas in northern and eastern Gaza, to a distance of about 1,000 meters from the border, except in Shujaiya and Beit Lahia.
So far, there has been no progress in the public track of negotiations with mediators Egypt and Qatar. A political source reported last week that Netanyahu decided to dispatch the Israeli negotiation team "once a time and place for the talks is set." However, no progress has been announced. Last week, Egypt and Qatar placed responsibility for the delay in the negotiations on Israel, citing its slow response regarding the framework.
During the weekend, it was announced that the bodies of hostages Ilan Weiss and Idan Shtivi were retrieved from the Gaza Strip, lowering the number of hostages held in the enclave to 48.