Tens of thousands demand hostage deal in Israel
For the past nine months, approximately 120 Israelis have been in the custody of Hamas. There seem to be progress in the negotiations for their release. Tens of thousands of people are demanding in Tel Aviv that the talks finally lead to success. "Make a deal now!", they chanted in Tel Aviv. Hamas and other terrorist groups had attacked Israel on October 7 - exactly nine months ago - killing 1200 people and kidnapping 250 more.
At the start of a day of disruption planned by protest groups, activists gathered near the border with the Gaza Strip in the morning to launch black and yellow balloons. The color yellow symbolizes the fate of the hostages. The balloons were attached to signs representing the communities that were attacked on October 7. According to Israeli estimates, around 120 hostages are still in the hands of kidnappers, many of whom may no longer be alive.
New Hope
The protests were fueled by reports of progress in the negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. They are expected to continue next week, according to Israeli reports. "For the first time in many long months, we have hope again," said a demonstrator whose son was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip during the terror attack nine months ago. "This is a chance we cannot miss!" she called out to Haaretz, according to the report.
To Netanyahu, the mother said, "Netanyahu, we have seen how you have torpedoed the agreements in the moment of truth and torn our hearts to pieces every time." She implored the Prime Minister: "Don't break our hearts again!" Netanyahu governs with ultra-religious and right-wing coalition partners who reject concessions to Hamas and with whom Netanyahu must compromise.
On the table lies a roadmap that initially proposes a time-limited ceasefire and the exchange of female, older, and sick hostages for a larger number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. During the ceasefire, the parties are to negotiate the termination of the war and the release of the remaining hostages. So far, Hamas has demanded that Israel commit to ending all hostilities before negotiations begin. According to media reports, Hamas has reportedly backed down from this core demand.
Hamas Demands Guarantees
However, the Islamists are also insisting on a written commitment from the mediators that the phase of negotiations - and thus the time-limited ceasefire - will continue indefinitely if no agreement is reached within the stipulated timeframe. This demand of Hamas is a crucial point before the mediators can take their seats to negotiate the details of the agreement, Axios reported, citing two Israeli officials.
At a rally in Tel Aviv, a former hostage named Almog Meir Jan, who was freed by Israel's military a month ago, was shown on a large screen. In the video, the 22-year-old says, "We need a deal so that all mothers can embrace their children and husbands, just like I can embrace my mother every morning." The fact that Hamas is reportedly showing more flexibility now gives hope to many people. However, according to the office of Israel's Prime Minister, there are still contentious issues between the two sides.
Report: Palestinians hope for imprisoned Barghouti
It is uncertain how things will go after the end of the war in Gaza. According to a report in the "Wall Street Journal," many Palestinians are pinning their hopes on Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian politician imprisoned in Israel. He is a member of the Palestinian party Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Autonomous Authority (PA) in the West Bank, and was an advisor to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Fatah and Hamas are the two largest Palestinian organizations and bitter rivals. However, there have been reconciliation talks between the two organizations for some time.
Barghuti was sentenced to five life terms in Israel in 2004 for murder. For his followers, Barghuti is a freedom fighter like Nelson Mandela, according to the "Wall Street Journal." His popularity among Palestinians is based on his image as a supporter of violence against Israel, but also as a pragmatist who seeks a permanent peace agreement. Barghuti's significance is evident in Hamas' demand to release him as part of an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, reported the newspaper, citing Arab intermediaries.
USA want Autonomous Authority in Gaza
In 2007, Hamas seized control of the Gazan Strip by force and expelled Fatah from the area. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Autonomous Authority PA and Chairman of Fatah, has been governing de facto only in the West Bank since then. The United States, as Israel's main ally, want the Autonomous Authority to be restructured and to regain control in the Gazan Strip in the future. Netanyahu opposes this.
Barghuti is the only Palestinian leader who enjoys broad support in Gaza as well as in the West Bank, unlike the weakened Hamas and the PA, according to the "Wall Street Journal." This is also evident in a recent Palestinian opinion poll in the West Bank.
Some in Israel also see Barghuti, despite his past, as a potential key to peace, the newspaper reported further. "If we are really looking for a solution, we should keep an eye on him," quoted the US newspaper a former director of the Israeli intelligence service Mossad. Israel's consistent refusal to release Barghuti from prison shows how far apart the two sides are from an agreement, wrote the newspaper.
In light of the reported progress in negotiations, Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure from demonstrated Israelis, including a mother whose son was kidnapped by Hamas, urging him not to break their hearts again and to make a deal for the release of the hostages. The international mediators, including Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, are currently negotiating with Hamas, who has allegedly softened its stance on some demands, such as the requirement for a written commitment that the ceasefire and negotiations will continue indefinitely if no agreement is reached within the stipulated timeframe.
