Anadolu Staff
12 January 2024•Update: 12 January 2024
JERUSALEM
A prominent Israeli commentator on Friday revealed a new proposal for a hostage swap between Tel Aviv and Palestinian factions, along with a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
Nahum Barnea, senior analyst for Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote: "The plan discusses a three-month ceasefire agreement, with implementation to be gradual.”
He added: "The agreement will include the release of all hostages, both alive and deceased, in stages, with the first stage being humanitarian, including the release of the sick, wounded, and elderly hostages as a top priority.”
Barnea continued: "In addition to releasing thousands of Palestinian prisoners, both adults and minors, from Israeli prisons, other demands are supposed to be met.”
According to Barnea, these demands include “a significant increase in humanitarian aid provided to the Gaza Strip, the return of residents to the northern area of the Strip, the withdrawal of Israeli army forces, and the establishment of an internationally funded administration for the reconstruction of Gaza from its ruins.”
He continued: "The worst of all is Hamas's partnership in controlling the Gaza Strip in the future.”
However, the Israeli analyst did not specify the party behind this proposal.
In an article titled “Living with Loss,” he said, "to my knowledge, there is no agreement here so far, we hope there will be.”
He added "conditions may change during negotiations, an explosion in talks is also possible, but the question remains and is a difficult one: Does the hope for the lives of 136 Israelis justify such prices?”
Barnea added: "I say yes, only because most of them are civilians kidnapped from their homes due to the government's and army's unprecedented failure, abandoning them before Oct. 7 and leaving them on that day.”
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala
