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Gaza City as seen from a Jordanian plane airdropping humanitarian aid
(Photo: Raad Adayleh/AP)
According to the report, this plan has been under discussion for several days at high levels, both inside the Strip and abroad. The sources added that, until now, “the goal was to preserve the hostages’ lives as much as possible, to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners and use them as bargaining chips for a ceasefire. But given the recent changes, a new decision may be made to send the message that the lives and property of Palestinians are linked to the fate of the hostages.”
The sources noted that this proposal had not been considered in other cities or areas captured by Israel because the current plan for Gaza City “is the most dangerous of all.”
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IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir during a military briefing
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
There is also a possibility that the United States will put forward a comprehensive plan with a phased implementation: 10 hostages released in the first stage along with understandings toward ending the war. Such a proposal would place Israel in a dilemma. Minister Ron Dermer, who is leading talks with the Americans, has warned Netanyahu that the U.S. is drafting a framework to end the war and may present it next month.
By contrast, senior security officials and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi oppose an “all-or-nothing” approach, believing that Israel should not reject a partial deal that could bring some of the hostages home. Netanyahu rejected ministers’ demands at a cabinet meeting to commit publicly that he would never accept a partial deal.
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Protesters in Tel Aviv call for the release of all of the hostages
(Photo: Dana Koppel)
“Will demonstrations bring the hostages home? Unfortunately, no,” a senior Israeli official said. “They should demonstrate against Hamas. We agreed to a deal, and Hamas saw that the international campaign—combined with the starvation narrative and the Palestinian state campaign—was playing into its hands, so it dragged its feet. We will turn over every stone to bring the hostages back. We are applying military pressure on Hamas. Returning the hostages is a goal we intend to ensure happens.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich argued that Netanyahu has been spooked by criticism and noted that a partial deal is still not off the table. “Mr. Prime Minister, perhaps lately you’ve been a little too frightened by the campaign. You’ve taken the media too seriously, the feeling that the people are not with you. The people of Israel are with you—make the right decision at last. Announce with your own voice that there will be no more pauses halfway, no more partial deals. Give the order for the IDF to storm Gaza and the central camps. Achieve total victory in one stroke.”
