Mossad chief David Barnea returned to Israel from hostage deal negotiations in Rome on Sunday, where he presented Israel’s “clarifications” to the hostage deal that are in accordance with the original proposal revealed by US President Joe Biden on May 31.

Barnea presented Israel’s position after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu discussed the deal with Biden and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington last week.

The Lebanese Al Akhbar newspaper reported on Monday morning that Israel’s proposal includes four new demands: 1) armed residents cannot return to the northern Gaza Strip and all those returning must be inspected; 2) the IDF will remain in the Philadelphi Corridor; 3) guarantees will be provided to Israel that it can resume the war after the first phase of the deal if the parties fail to move to the second phase; and 4) Israel will be provided in advance with a list of the names of the living hostages to be released in the deal.

Although the report claimed that the demands are new, Israel has insisted on these demands throughout the process.

According to the report, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators told the US before the meeting that it is unlikely that Hamas will accept the proposal.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)