Israeli government meets to decide on deal for Hamas to free some hostages

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday requested his authorities to just accept a deal for Palestinian Hamas militants to free some hostages in Gaza in trade for a multi-day truce even because the loss of life of a hostage in captivity was introduced.

Officers from Qatar, which has been mediating negotiations, in addition to the U.S., Israel and Hamas have for days been saying a deal was imminent.

Earlier than gathering together with his full authorities, Netanyahu met on Tuesday together with his struggle cupboard and wider nationwide safety cupboard over the deal. Hamas is believed to be holding greater than 200 hostages, taken when its fighters surged into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 individuals, based on Israeli tallies.

The Israeli prime minister mentioned the intervention of U.S. President Joe Biden had helped to enhance the deal in order that it included extra hostages for fewer concessions.

However Netanyahu mentioned Israel’s broader mission had not modified.

“We’re at struggle and we are going to proceed the struggle till we obtain all our objectives. To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and be sure that no one in Gaza can threaten Israel,” he mentioned in a recorded message firstly of the newest authorities assembly.

If agreed, the accord would see the primary truce of a struggle wherein Israeli bombardments have flattened swathes of Hamas-ruled Gaza, killed 13,300 civilians within the tiny densely populated enclave and left about two-thirds of its 2.3 million individuals homeless, based on authorities in Gaza.

A U.S. official briefed on the discussions mentioned the deal would come with 50 hostages taken from Israel, principally ladies and kids, in trade for 150 Palestinian prisoners and a pause within the preventing of 4 or 5 days.

The pause would facilitate supply of humanitarian support to Gaza.

Qatar International Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari mentioned the proposal on a hostage launch deal was delivered to Israel within the early hours of Tuesday.

“The State of Qatar is awaiting the results of the Israeli authorities’s vote on the proposal,” he mentioned.

Hamas has to this point launched solely 4 captives: U.S. residents Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17, on Oct. 20, citing “humanitarian causes,” and Israeli ladies Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, on Oct. 23.

The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which participated within the Oct. 7 raid with Hamas, introduced late on Tuesday the loss of life of one of many Israeli hostages it has held because the Oct. 7 assaults on Israel.

“We beforehand expressed our willingness to launch her for humanitarian causes, however the enemy was stalling and this led to her loss of life,” Al Quds Brigades mentioned on its Telegram channel.

As consideration centered on the hostage launch deal, preventing on the bottom raged on with Israel saying its forces had encircled the Jabalia refugee camp, a significant city flashpoint and Hamas militant stronghold.

The Palestinian information company WAFA mentioned 33 individuals had been killed and dozens wounded in an Israeli air strike on a part of Jabalia, a congested city extension of Gaza Metropolis the place Hamas has been battling advancing Israeli armoured forces.

In southern Gaza, Hamas-affiliated media mentioned 10 individuals had been killed and 22 injured by an Israeli air strike on an condominium within the metropolis of Khan Younis.

Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the accounts of preventing on both facet.

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.