Report: Israel prepares its response to latest Hamas ceasefire offer amid stalled talks

Israel has reportedly formulated a response to the latest offer in the ongoing hostage-ceasefire negotiations with Hamas that includes some flexibility but maintains its demand not to end the war.

According to an unsourced report in Channel 12 news, Israel is offering flexibility in the timeline of the release of hostages, as well as in lengthening the period of time of a ceasefire.

The report claims, however, that Israel is standing firm on its refusal to agree to a permanent end to the war, and is also demanding to continue to control the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Strip.

The TV report says that the latest amendments were formulated in a limited meeting of officials last night that included Defense Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

The latest US proposal offered a 60-day truce in the war-torn Gaza Strip, accompanied by a partial Israeli military withdrawal and increased humanitarian aid deliveries, in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased hostages. Hamas’s response to the offer included a demand that would make it more difficult for Israel to resume fighting if talks on a permanent ceasefire were not completed by the end of the 60-day truce.

Channel 12 also reports this evening that several unnamed senior ministers have begun to speak out about the need to end the war against Hamas, citing the “diplomatic damage” being caused by the lengthy fighting and the enormous damage in Gaza.