US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday evening presented a new hostage release/ceasefire deal to Israel and the Hamas terror organization.

Initial reports said that the outline called for the release of nine living hostages, one less than his previous outline, along with the remains of 18 hostages. In exchange, an undisclosed number of Palestinian terrorists will be released from Israeli prisons. However, subsequent reports said that the outline includes the release of 10 live hostages, with five released on the first day of the ceasefire and five on the seventh day.

In exchange, Israel will release 125 terrorists serving life sentences, 1,111 Palestinians who were arrested in Gaza since October 7, 2023, and 180 bodies of terrorists.

A 60-day ceasefire will be implemented, during which negotiations will take place for the end of the war and the release of the remaining hostages. At the end of this period, Israel will have the option of returning to war if there is no agreement or continuing negotiations in exchange for the further release of hostages.

The deal also requires Israel to withdraw from the areas of Gaza that it conquered since March 17. In addition, Hamas has demanded that the UN take over the distribution of humanitarian aid from the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich spoke out on Wednesday evening against the reported deal, saying he will not allow such an agreement to be reached. “Hamas is under immense pressure and distress in recent days as a result of the change in the aid distribution system and the loss of its control over the population in the Strip, combined with the continuous military pressure,” he said.

“We must continue to tighten the noose around its neck and force it into a complete surrender deal with all the hostages at once. It would be a delusional folly to reduce the pressure now and sign a partial deal with Hamas that would provide it with oxygen and a lifeline and allow it to recover. I will not allow such a thing to happen. Period.”

Other ministers and some families of the hostages voiced similar objections to the deal, especially the fact that not all the hostages will be released. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli called for the release of all the hostages in exchange for allowing Hamas leaders to leave the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu scheduled a Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening to discuss the proposal.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)