On the Bridging of the Last Gaps between Israel and Hamas in a School–Breaking Operation: The Case of Blinken
Hamas hopes to exchange prisoners for hostages in exchange for a cease-fire and a withdrawal from Israel. It’s likely that this will increase pressure on Israel’s government to find a solution to freeing hostages who are still alive.
The Civil Defense said the strike at the school killed at least 10 people and that they were still looking for survivors. It said around 700 people were sheltering at the school when it was hit.
The military said it had identified the remains of Chaim Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, 80; Avraham Munder, 79; Alexander Dancyg, 76; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Yagev Buchshtav, 35. Metzger, Munder, Popplewell and Buchshtav had family members who were also abducted but freed during a November cease-fire.
Munder was among the residents who were taken captive and was confirmed dead on Tuesday by a kibbutz. It said he died “after enduring months of physical and mental torture.” Israeli authorities had previously determined that the other five were deceased.
The Defense Minister said that the operation had been carried out inside Hamas’ vast tunnel network. There were no immediate reports of any casualties among Israelis or Palestinians in the recovery operation.
LONSDORF: So Blinken is here trying to push forward a proposal presented by mediators at the end of last week in Doha meant to bridge the final gaps between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas seemed unenthusiastic about that bridging proposal in the days after it was announced last week. But last night, Blinken told reporters that Netanyahu had agreed to it, and now it was up to Hamas. This is something we’ve seen before. That doesn’t mean we’re hearing that from Israel just because America says they have an agreement. Netanyahu’s office put out a statement last night but it did not say he had agreed to the proposal. Hamas, on the other hand, has put out a statement saying that they’re for a cease-fire and want to end the war. This new proposal caters to Netanyahu’s demands too much and they blame him for obstructing the deal.
Hamas said the United States was trying to impose its will on the militant group. There still appear to be wide gaps between the two sides, including Israel’s demand for lasting control over two strategic corridors in Gaza, which Hamas has rejected.
Hamas-led militants burst through Israel’s defenses on Oct. 7 and rampaged across the south, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage. During the cease-fire of last year, over 100 hostages were freed in exchange for imprisoned Palestinians.
The Israeli military said the strike targeted Hamas militants who had set up a command center inside the school and were planning and launching attacks.
The latest news about the Palestinian hostage crisis and the prospects for a three-phase peace deal with Hamas and the U.S.
The mediators have been trying to finalize a proposal for a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all the hostages in return for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from the territory and a lasting truce.
On Tuesday, he traveled to Egypt and was expected to hold talks with the government there. The two Arab countries have played a key role in mediating with Hamas.
CHANG: I am wondering in terms of public opinion how this latest news about the recovered bodies of these hostages – how that is impacting the way people in Israel are feeling about a possible cease-fire deal.
LONSDORF: In both places, he met with leaders. The U.S. and Egypt are the two countries that brokered this agreement. You know, Ailsa, I’ll say all of this diplomacy has added urgency because of threats from Iran and its proxies to retaliate for an assassination on Iranian soil that Israel was widely blamed for. The feeling is that as long as a cease-fire in Gaza is a possibility, Iran will hold its fire. There is still a war going on in Gaza. More than 150 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since this new round of talks began last week. That’s adding to the more than 40,000 total who have been killed in Gaza according to health officials there. So there is real pressure from a lot of angles now to get something to work.
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