Israel may delay invasion for hostage talks

Israel is willing to delay a ground invasion of Gaza for a few days to allow talks on releasing a large number of the hostages Hamas is holding there, two Israeli officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

• "Both Israel and the Biden administration want to exhaust every effort to try and get hostages out of Gaza," a senior Israeli official said. "If Hamas proposes a big package, of course we will be ready to do things in return."
• Why it matters: Hamas has held 200+ hostages in Gaza since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Israeli officials say that once their military launches a ground invasion, a deal for hostages will be nearly impossible.
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• The Israelis told Egyptian mediators that if Hamas wants a hostage deal, it needs to release all the women and children it's holding, the Israeli officials said.
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• State of play: The Israelis' stance on hostages comes as the Biden administration tries to nudge Israel toward delaying a ground war in Gaza.
• The U.S. is moving military assets into the region to show support for Israel — and to try to discourage others, such as Iran-backed Hezbollah, from joining the war.
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• U.S. officials believe the hostages include several of the 10 Americans who are unaccounted for in Gaza.
• What we're hearing: The Israeli officials acknowledge it's likely that some hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, which have targeted Hamas positions in Gaza during the last two weeks.
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• Khaled Mashaal, a Hamas official, told Sky News yesterday that the hostages are being held in several locations in the Gaza Strip.
• Two more hostages out (from left): Hamas releases Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, to the Red Cross in an unknown location yesterday. Image from video: Al Qassam Brigades (Hamas military wing) Telegram channel via AP.
• Hamas has released four hostages in recent days, in two pairs.
• Yesterday, Hamas released two Israeli women, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, in a deal facilitated by an Egyptian mediator.
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• Last week, the terror group released two American women, Judith Raanan and her daughter, Natalie, of Evanston, Ill. A mediator from Qatar aided that release.
• Behind the scenes: Hamas said in a statement it had proposed releasing the Israeli women over the weekend — but that Israel refused.
• Israeli officials confirmed that — and said Hamas initially demanded that in return, Israel stop its airstrikes on Gaza for six hours.
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• The Israeli officials said they refused because they didn't want to create a precedent in which Hamas would release two hostages every time it wanted a ceasefire.
• The Israelis' concern was that every such ceasefire can allow Hamas to regroup, and give the group's leaders a chance to move from one hiding place to another without being targeted.
• Between the lines: President Biden's team is negotiating with Israel and the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, who are talking with Hamas.
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• Steven Gillen, the U.S. deputy special envoy for hostage affairs, arrived in Israel several days after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and has been working with his Israeli counterparts and the families of Americans who are unaccounted for or being held hostage.
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• Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday and "reaffirmed [Biden's] commitment to ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages taken by Hamas," the White House said.
• The other side: Mashaal, the Hamas official, told Sky News that if Israel stops airstrikes in Gaza, Qatari and Egyptian officials will help find a way to have the hostages released.
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• Reality check: Israeli officials stress that even if a hostage deal were struck, the Israeli military wouldn't drop its plans for a ground assault in Gaza