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Hostage Negotiators in Qatar Discuss Plan for Release of All Israelis

(Washington Post) David Ignatius - American and Israeli spy chiefs met Tuesday with a Qatari mediator and discussed a plan for eventual release of all Israelis held captive in Gaza, including soldiers. A source close to the negotiations said, "there is a willingness on both sides" to make a broad deal that would free all Israeli captives in exchange for longer pauses in fighting, release of more Palestinian prisoners, and more humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza. The Qataris asked Hamas to explain its parameters for release and then shared those with the Mossad representative, who detailed Israel's requirements. The negotiators agreed on five categories of Israeli hostages for future releases, the source said: men too old for reserve military duty, female soldiers, male reservists, active-duty male soldiers, and the bodies of Israelis who died before or during captivity. The total is well over 100. Israel continues to say it will resume fighting until it has destroyed Hamas' ability to rule Gaza. Hamas, for its part, wants to survive, physically and politically. It's hard to see the space for compromise on these questions, which both sides see as existential.
2023-11-29 00:00:00
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