Israel’s Netanyahu offers plan for Gaza ceasefire with Hamas leadership exile

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a detailed plan during his recent meetings with U.S. officials in Washington, aimed at bringing an end to the war in Gaza.

According to U.S. and Israeli sources, cited by Axios, Netanyahu proposed that the conflict could cease if Hamas agreed to relinquish power in Gaza and its senior leadership went into exile, per Caliber.Az.

Netanyahu emphasized that as long as Hamas maintains control of Gaza, there is no viable pathway to a post-war plan. He suggested that once Hamas relinquishes power and its leaders leave Gaza, it would open the door for a potential "day-after" plan, which might include President Trump's proposed "Gaza takeover." This move would mark a shift in the region's leadership dynamics and potentially reshape Gaza's governance structure.

In his discussions with U.S. officials, Netanyahu sought alignment with the Trump administration on modifying the existing hostage-release and ceasefire deal. The current agreement, which includes a 42-day ceasefire, allows for the release of 33 hostages. However, Netanyahu expressed a desire to extend the first phase of the deal to ensure the release of more hostages, potentially beyond the 33 already scheduled for release. In exchange, Israel is willing to negotiate the release of Palestinian prisoners, though Israeli officials expect only a small number — likely two or three additional hostages — would be freed based on medical conditions.

Further negotiations could lead to a proposal during the second phase of the deal, in which Netanyahu would demand that Hamas release all remaining hostages, give up control of Gaza, and agree to an exile of its senior leadership. Senior Hamas leaders, including those expected to be released from prison, would be required to leave Gaza permanently.

The idea of allowing senior Hamas leaders to go into exile in a third-party country was also discussed during Netanyahu's meeting with U.S. officials. However, a senior Israeli official acknowledged that the likelihood of Hamas agreeing to this exile is "extremely low," and if the leadership refuses, the hostage-release and ceasefire deal may collapse, potentially reigniting the war.

Additionally, Israeli officials have claimed that Hamas has already agreed to give up civilian control of Gaza and transfer responsibility for its reconstruction to the Palestinian Authority or an independent committee. However, Hamas has so far resisted dismantling its military wing, which remains a significant obstacle in any peace deal.

While Netanyahu's spokesman initially declined to comment on the proposed second-phase plan, he later clarified that the Israeli leader did not present a formal plan for this phase during his meetings with U.S. officials.

Meanwhile, White House envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Miami to discuss the second phase of the hostage deal, following Witkoff's consultations with Netanyahu in Washington.

By Tamilla Hasanova