Hamas Accepts US Proposal for Resumption of Hostage Exchange Talks After a 16-day hiatus, a Hamas source has confirmed that the Palestinian militant group has accepted a US proposal to resume negotiations over the release of captive Israeli citizens. The first phase of talks had taken place earlier this year. The proposal was made by US officials during recent meetings with Hamas representatives in Cairo, Egypt. The focus of the discussions centered on the possible exchange of long-held Palestinian prisoners for the release of two Israeli soldiers and the bodies of two Israeli citizens being held by Hamas. According to the Hamas source, the group agreed to engage in the talks after receiving assurances from US officials that the Israeli government was committed to the process. However, Hamas emphasized that the release of all Palestinian women, children, and the elderly prisoners was a precondition for any further discussions. The US has played a key role in mediating between Israel and Hamas in the past, with the previous round of talks taking place through Egyptian mediation. The Trump administration had made a concerted effort to broker a deal between the two sides, but no agreement was reached. The renewal of talks offers a glimmer of hope for resolving the issue of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, which has been a major source of tension between the two sides. It remains to be seen whether the latest round of negotiations will yield a breakthrough or if the longstanding impasse will continue.Hamas Accepts US Proposal for Hostage Release TalksHamas Accepts US Proposal for Hostage Release Talks Hamas has agreed to the US proposal for talks to secure the release of Israeli hostages, including soldiers and civilians, according to a Hamas source. This marks a significant development 16 days after the initial ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The source indicated that Hamas has dropped its demand for Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire before the talks begin and will allow for negotiations on that matter during the six-week period of the first phase of the agreement. A Palestinian official involved in the peace efforts believes that the proposal could lead to a framework agreement and potentially end the nine-month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas. A source within Israel’s negotiating team expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement, a stark contrast to earlier instances in the conflict. The proposal includes guarantees from mediators to ensure a temporary ceasefire, aid delivery, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops while indirect talks continue to implement the second phase of the agreement. Diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage release have intensified recently, with shuttle diplomacy between Washington, Israel, and Qatar, where the exiled Hamas leadership is based. The US administration is said to be working to finalize a deal before the presidential election in November. Netanyahu stated that the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency had held an initial meeting with mediators in Qatar and that negotiations would continue next week.Hamas has accepted a US proposal to resume talks with Israel over the release of two Israeli hostages held by the group, Hamas source said on Tuesday, 16 days after the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group ended. The source said the US proposal included a prisoner exchange, but did not provide further details. “We have agreed to the American proposal to resume talks with the Israelis over the issue of the two Israeli hostages,” the source said. “We are waiting for the Israelis to respond to the proposal. We hope that they will accept it so that we can start the talks.” The two Israeli hostages, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, were captured by Hamas in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Israel and Hamas have held indirect talks over a prisoner exchange in the past, but no agreement has been reached. The US has been mediating the talks between the two sides. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended on August 5 after a period of relative calm. Since then, there have been sporadic incidents of violence along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas Accepts US Proposal for Resumption of Hostage Exchange Talks
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