Hamas said yes to temporary IDF presence in Gaza in potential hostage deal: Report

After more than a year into the Israel-Hamas war, the Palestinian militant group has agreed to the Israeli demand to let the Israel Defence Force (IDF) remain in Gaza temporarily under a likely ceasefire deal, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday (Dec 12).

Hamas has been maintaing that it won't accept the ceasefire deal unless it has a promise to end the war and a complete withdrawal of IDF troops from the Gaza Strip. But the report said that not only Hamas has agreed to let IDF troops in the strip, but it has also given mediators a list of hostages it would release in the first phase of the ceasefire.

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The list consists of US nationals, women, older hostages and those with medical conditions, the mediators told the news agency. It also has the names of five hostages who have been confirmed to be dead.

Updated deal

In the first week of December, Israel shared an updated proposal for a hostage deal with Hamas, according to an Axios report, citing two Israeli officials.

The updated proposal is similar to the phased plan under discussion in August, however, it is now focused primarily on getting the first phase done, as per the report.

In the updated proposal, Israel is now open to the option of a ceasefire that would last up to 60 days, whereas, earlier, the first stage was only 42 days.

According to the Axios report, all living female hostages, all living men over 50, and people with serious medical conditions, would be released.

Israel has also reportedly asked for 33 living hostages from these groups, but, believes that there are not that many alive anymore.

Hamas has also shown a new openness to a partial deal, the Israeli officials said.

Meanwhile, Israel is still willing to release hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, including some serving life sentences for deadly terror attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several other senior ministers and security chiefs approved the proposal on Sunday, the report stated. Following this, the proposal was passed to Egypt, which has been involved in the mediation efforts amid the ongoing war, and then presented to Hamas in Cairo on Monday and Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)