JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Steve Witkoff, the US envoy to the Middle East, who is currently in the Qatari capital of Doha, has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several times in recent days, urging him to broaden the mandate of his negotiating team and be more flexible in talks with Hamas, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Wednesday, citing an unnamed source.

The outreach comes as Israel ramps up its genocide in Gaza, launching a second day of heavy airstrikes on various areas, including near the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis in the south, killing at least 70 Palestinians, including women and children.

Despite the ongoing negotiations and President Donald Trump’s diplomatic visit to the region, Netanyahu continues to resist diplomatic concessions.

Israel is sticking to the "Witkoff framework," a proposal outlined two and a half months ago that calls for a 45-day ceasefire and negotiations in exchange for Hamas releasing 10 hostages and handing over the remains of half of the Israelis who have died, the source told the daily.

The Israeli delegation in Doha, led by the Shin Bet security agency's deputy chief, has meetings with Witkoff and US hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler, according to another newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth.

Witkoff is also exploring additional proposals, including phased hostage releases, to persuade parties to agree to a ceasefire, the newspaper added, citing unnamed sources.

However, Israeli officials continue to insist that any end to the war must include the return of all hostages, Hamas disarmament, and the exile of its leadership.

Channel 12 reported earlier Wednesday that, despite US pressure, the Israeli delegation's mandate remains narrowly limited to discussing the original Witkoff plan, with no room for further negotiation.

Hamas has repeatedly expressed its willingness to negotiate a comprehensive deal to release Israeli hostages in exchange for a complete ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu has added new conditions, including disarming Hamas, which the group rejects as long as the Israeli occupation continues.

Opposition lawmakers and hostage families accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war to appease far-right factions and maintain political power.

New proposal

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom reported that Trump is reviewing a new Saudi-Emirati proposal that calls for the immediate release of hostages, Hamas disarmament, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, and international oversight of reconstruction efforts.

Unnamed sources familiar with the negotiations told the newspaper that behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to reach a ceasefire agreement before Trump leaves the region on Friday.

The report said Israel has “clearly signaled” that a ceasefire deal may lead to a potential meeting between Trump and Netanyahu.

There was no comment from Saudi, Emirati, or US officials on the reported proposal.

The Israeli negotiating delegation arrived in Doha on Tuesday, ahead of Witkoff and Boehler, for the latest round of mediation. Cairo, Doha, and Washington are hoping to reach an agreement before the end of Trump's visit, his first to the region since beginning his second term in January.

Israel estimates that 58 of its citizens are held hostage in Gaza, with 20 still alive. Meanwhile, more than 9,900 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, many of whom are subjected to torture, malnutrition, and medical neglect, according to rights groups.

A previous ceasefire and prisoner swap brokered by Egypt and Qatar, backed by the US, began on January 19 and ended in early March, with Hamas adhering to the terms of the deal.

The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 52,900 Palestinians since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.