Israel, Hamas struggle to reach peace amid disputes over troop withdrawal, hostage release

Israel and Hamas are engaged in negotiations over a potential truce, but significant disagreements persist regarding the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor, a key area on the Gaza-Egypt border, as well as the details of a potential hostages release plan.

Israel has rejected a proposal to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, which Hamas views as a crucial part of its demands, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

Additionally, Israel is unwilling to release 70 of the 200 Palestinians currently serving long sentences in Israeli prisons, despite Hamas’ demand for the release of 1,000 Palestinians in exchange for hostages.

Israel has expressed its expectation that Hamas will release approximately 100 hostages, including female soldiers and American nationals held by Hamas militants in Gaza. This is part of the broader discussions surrounding a possible 60-day truce.

Hamas, on the other hand, is pushing for a comprehensive deal with Israel, one that includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the imposition of a ceasefire. However, Israel’s refusal to pull back its troops from the Philadelphi Corridor remains a major sticking point in the negotiations.

Last week, the Israeli portal Ynet quoted a senior official as saying that most of the details of a possible deal have already been agreed, but the main dispute is over the number of hostages to be released in its first phase. The official added that the negotiations are now “centred on the number and identities of the hostages,” the news outlet pointed out.

Several rounds of negotiations for the release of Hamas captives over the past year have stalled. The parties have been unable to extend the agreement made at the end of November 2023, which resulted in the release of 105 hostages following a week-long truce. Israel believes that 96 of the 251 hostages taken on October 7, 2023, are still being held in Gaza. Over the past 14 months, the Israeli military has managed to rescue eight hostages and recover the bodies of 38 others.

By Vafa Guliyeva