Intense discussions in Israel hours before Netanyahu heads to Washington

Israeli media reported that intensive discussions will take place in Israel before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges, travels to Washington on Sunday morning. This comes after Tel Aviv received the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)'s response to the ceasefire proposal.

The security cabinet is scheduled to meet Saturday evening to review the proposal's comments, after Hamas announced Friday evening that it had submitted its response to the mediators, which it said was "positive."

Haaretz newspaper quoted an Israeli source as saying, "The cabinet is scheduled to meet at 10:00 PM (19:00 GMT) to discuss the proposal and the future of the fighting in Gaza."

Official sources did not disclose details of the proposal, but Israeli media reported that it includes the release of half of the living Israeli prisoners in Gaza (10 prisoners), in addition to the bodies of 18 prisoners, in five stages during a 60-day ceasefire.

3 main points

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority, citing unnamed sources, said that Hamas is adhering to three basic demands to amend the terms of the agreement.

She explained that the first demand relates to a return to the previous model of humanitarian aid distribution, while the second concerns what will happen after the 60-day ceasefire period expires. Israel believes that the expiration of the period without an agreement allows it to resume the war, while Hamas insists on extending the ceasefire as long as negotiations continue.

The third demand focuses on the map of the Israeli military's withdrawal from Gaza, as Hamas demands a clear and tangible withdrawal from areas where the army is deployed within the Strip.

According to Israeli media, the proposal includes the release of eight living Israeli prisoners on the first day of the agreement's entry into force, and two prisoners on the 50th day.

In return, Israel will release a large number of Palestinian prisoners it is holding and gradually withdraw its forces from agreed-upon areas within Gaza.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Thousands of Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Demonstrations of prisoners' families

The families of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza called for demonstrations to demand a comprehensive agreement that would return the prisoners from Gaza en masse.

Representatives of these families said in a statement during a protest in Tel Aviv this evening that "the Netanyahu government's policies have resulted in the deaths of a number of the kidnapped, and the survivors must be returned immediately."

They added, "We call for people to take to the streets to pressure the Netanyahu government to conclude a comprehensive deal and end the war." They also appealed to US President Donald Trump not to allow "the forces of evil in Israel to continue the war."

The prisoners' families said they are organizing a massive demonstration tonight in "Kidnapped Square" in Tel Aviv.

To Washington

Netanyahu is scheduled to head to Washington on Sunday morning to meet with the US president at the White House on Monday, according to Israeli media.

Yedioth Ahronoth quoted unnamed Israeli officials as saying that Trump may announce a ceasefire agreement in Gaza during his meeting with Netanyahu.

"We may reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza this week, but I have not seen the current status of the negotiations," Trump told reporters.

He considered it "good" that Hamas announced its positive response to the ceasefire proposal.

Since October 2023, the Israeli occupation army has waged a war of extermination against the population of the Gaza Strip. To date, this war has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,000 people, the injury of more than 135,000, and the displacement of nearly the entire population of the Strip, amidst destruction unprecedented since World War II, according to Palestinian and international reports.