Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met on Monday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem with representatives of the families of the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Some of the relatives held a protest outside the Knesset, demanding a hostage deal with Hamas as soon as possible.

“Contrary to what they’re saying, there is no genuine proposal from Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “I’m saying this as clearly as I can because there are so many incorrect things that are surely tormenting you. On the other hand, we have our initiative and I will not go into detail.”

On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US, Egypt, and Qatar are trying to start a gradual diplomatic process that will lead to the end of the war in Gaza.

Senior officials involved in the talks said that Israel and Hamas are at least willing to take part in the talks. The mediators’ proposal involves a 90-day plan in which the fighting in Gaza will stop for an unspecified number of days, during which Hamas will release all the kidnapped Israeli civilians.

At the same time, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip, allow freedom of action, stop drone surveillance, and double the amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In the second phase, Hamas will release female soldiers as well as return the bodies of Israelis it is holding, while Israel will release more Palestinian prisoners. In the third phase of the plan, Israeli soldiers will also be released as well as “men of fighting age” – whom Hamas considers soldiers – while Israel will redeploy its forces outside the Gaza Strip.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)