Tel Aviv, Israel

Israel has proposed a framework for a new deal with the Hamas militants saying that it would end fighting in the Gaza Strip and offer safe passage out of the Palestinian enclave for the group's leader Yahya Sinwar and his associates if they release all hostages at once, according to a report by KAN, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC). 

Advertisment

According to the report, Israel has proposed that it would also release all Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails, demilitarise the Gaza Strip, and place a new system of governance in Gaza.

The report stated that a government point man on the hostages, Gal Hirsch, told the families of hostages that the proposal was presented in a meeting with US officials from the White House and State Department last week. 

Watch | Pager Blasts: Iran Accuses Israel of 'Mass Murder'

Advertisment

×

The report, citing sources who met with Hirsch, said that the proposal is called a "safe passage deal". 

'A secondary plan'

Advertisment

An anonymous Israeli official told Kan that the plan has been proposed as "Plan B". 

“In light of the difficulties in the negotiations and the ticking clock on the lives of the hostages, we would like to propose a secondary plan that would shorten the stages, and allow for a faster deal,” the official reportedly said. 

The official added, “This will happen if Sinwar leaves [Gaza] and brings about an end to the war. This will allow us to meet the goals of the war, and for the leadership of Hamas in Gaza to leave to a safe place.”

Notably, it is not the first time a proposal has come into the limelight to release all hostages in one go in return for a complete end of war. 

Israel attacked southern Lebanon

As the war continues, Israel on Thursday (Sep 19) bombed specific locations in southern Lebanon in overnight attacks. The Israeli military said that they struck six Hezbollah "terrorist infrastructure sites" and a weapons storage facility. 

Also read: Israel strikes seven Hezbollah sites in Lebanon after Iran-backed plot to assassinate Netanyahu revealed

It comes just a day after pagers and walkie-talkies used by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah exploded, leading to Lebanon's deadliest day since cross-border fighting started nearly a year ago. 

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)