Israel–Hamas War: Israel has offered to end the war. Israel says that if all the hostages are released at once and Gaza is disarmed, then Sinwar will be allowed to go. The proposal discussed recently in Washington also talks about a new arrangement for the Gaza Strip. The relatives of the hostages praised the plan, but Hamas officials immediately rejected it calling it ‘ridiculous’.
Kan News reported on Thursday (September 19) that Israel has put forward a proposal under which the fighting in the Gaza Strip will be ended and the head of Hamas will be given a safe way out. In return, all the hostages in Gaza will be released immediately, the Strip will be de-militarized and an alternative government will be established there.
The plan was presented to US officials
An Israeli official said Gal Hirsch, the government’s representative on the hostages, had presented the plan to US officials, who were expected to pass it on to unspecified Arab authorities, the Times of Israel reported. Kan said Hirsch told the hostages’ families that the proposal was presented in a meeting with US officials from the White House and State Department last week.
According to Kan, under the proposal, all 101 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip would be immediately returned and Israel would end the war, without calling for a phased release of hostages and gradual withdrawal of troops that had been under discussion until now. Israel would also release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners from its jails, allowing Sinwar, widely believed to be the mastermind of the October 7 attack, to leave the Strip.
Hamas rejected the proposal
Meanwhile, Hamas politburo member Ghazi Hamad immediately rejected the proposal and told Al-Arabi al-Jadeed, “The proposal to exit Sinwar is ridiculous and points to the bankruptcy of the occupation.” Hamad said, “This confirms the occupiers’ denial of what happened during the eight months of negotiations. The negotiations are stuck due to Israel’s stubborn stance.”