The Hamas terrorist organization announced on Friday that it is willing to agree to a deal that would see the release of American-Israeli IDF soldier Edan Alexander (20) and four bodies of deceased hostages — all of whom held dual citizenship.
In his first reaction just hours before the start of the Jewish Sabbath, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) indirectly rejected the ostensible offer.
The statement affirmed that Israel had accepted the latest proposal by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, while Hamas insisted on its demands and continued with psychological warfare.
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Hamas stated that it “received a proposal yesterday from the mediator brothers to resume negotiations. The movement dealt with it responsibly and positively, and delivered its response to it at dawn today.”
“The movement affirms its full readiness to begin negotiations and reach a comprehensive agreement on the issues of the second phase, calling for the occupation [Israel] to be compelled to fully implement its commitments.”
In response, the PMO stated: “While Israel has accepted the Witkoff outline, Hamas remains steadfast in its refusal and has not budged a millimeter. At the same time, it continues to engage in manipulation and psychological warfare.”
“The Prime Minister will convene the ministerial team on Saturday night to receive a detailed report from the negotiating team, and to decide on the next steps for the release of the hostages.”
“Hamas’s ostensible ‘offer’ to release hostages with American citizenship is intended to sabotage negotiations and is merely manipulation,” an Israeli official told Israeli news outlets.
“Hamas has not changed its position in the slightest, despite the efforts of the Americans and mediators, and despite our willingness to be flexible,” the official emphasized.
Throughout the hostage negotiations, Israel has maintained its stance against granting special treatment to dual citizens.
In addition, a source involved in the negotiations told i24 News that the “Witkoff proposal,” discussed in recent days, had outlined the release of five living hostages along with several bodies.
Furthermore, Israel had demanded an increase in the number of released hostages to eight living captives.
“In conclusion: Hamas says ‘yes’ to Boehler’s proposal, although it is actually Witkoff’s proposal that is currently on the table,” commented i24 diplomatic reporter, Amichai Stein.
After causing consternation in Israel with several recent statements, Adam Boehler, who had conducted direct talks with Hamas, was pulled off the hostage file, according to reports on Thursday.
Hamas, meanwhile, claimed that new criteria had been agreed for Alexander’s release, including an increase of Palestinian prisoners set to be freed by Israel.
In response to Hamas’s announcement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum reiterated its stance that a potential hostage release should be a first step toward a broader agreement that will return all remaining hostages.
“Otherwise, this is a selection that separates Zionism from its values and continues the abandonment of Oct. 7 on the basis of a foreign passport,” the forum stated.
According to Channel 12, the Alexander family and the families of the four deceased hostages have not been informed of any changes or progress in the talks.
In November, Hamas released a video of Alexander in captivity. During the three-and-a-half-minute video, he pleaded with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to forget the hostages and called on citizens to pressure the government through negotiations.
Alexander was born in Tel Aviv but grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. After graduating from high school, he chose to return to Israel and enlisted in the IDF as a lone soldier. He was abducted from the Kissufim military post on the morning of October 7, 2023.
Alexander’s family resides in New Jersey. His mother, Yael, visited him just days before he was captured by Hamas terrorists.
This article was originally published by All Israel News.
ALL ISRAEL NEWS is based in Jerusalem and is a trusted source of news, analysis and information from Israel to our Christian friends around the world.
