Negotiations for a hostage deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have resumed in Cairo, but this time Israel has not sent a delegation.
There is no point as long as Hamas continues with its intransigence, Israel’s War Cabinet and security echelon agreed.
Israel is demanding that Hamas provide a detailed list of the hostages who are still alive, and a firm decision on how many incarcerated terror prisoners are required to free each hostage.
Hamas is refusing to comply; moreover, the terror group has declared there will be no deal until Israel agrees to completely end the war in Gaza, allows Gaza civilians to return to the northern sector in the enclave, increases humanitarian aid to Gaza and entirely withdraws IDF military forces from the enclave.
That’s not happening: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have repeatedly emphasized there will be no end to the war in Gaza until Hamas is completely dismantled as a governing force and as a military force, until all of the hostages are freed, and until Israel can ensure the enclave will never again be the source of a threat against the Jewish State.
At least 31 hostages held in captivity have been confirmed deceased, according to a statement last month issued by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Approximately 110 of the 253 original abductees were freed in a November hostage deal that was ultimately violated by Hamas, ending the temporary ceasefire.
