A Palestinian official says Hamas may seek to get Israel to agree on pulling back its forces according to a rigid schedule, as the sides prepare for talks based on a US proposal that would see all hostages released and a gradual military retreat from much of the Strip.
“Progress would depend on whether Hamas would agree to the map, which shows the Israeli army would remain in control of most of the Gaza Strip,” says the official, who is close to the talks.
A map published by US President Donald Trump Saturday showed an initial line running through the center of the Strip that Israel would pull back to, after which it would gradually retreat to the perimeter of the enclave.
“Hamas may also ask for a strict timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The first phase of talks will determine how things are going to proceed,” the official adds.
Sources close to Hamas also tell Reuters that while handing over living hostages could prove relatively straightforward, retrieving bodies of dead ones amid the huge devastation and rubble of Gaza may take longer than a few days to achieve.
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