Report: Israel ‘doubtful’ negotiators will pass updated hostage-ceasefire proposal to Hamas

Israel is “doubtful” that the updated proposal for a hostage release-ceasefire deal with Hamas that Israel relayed to the White House on Saturday will be passed on to the terror group by mediators, according to a senior Israeli official cited by Hebrew media.

“It is very doubtful that this proposal will pass the mediators. It is doubtful that they will agree to roll the proposal over to Hamas in light of the fundamental change in it,” the senior official is quoted as saying by Channel 12 news.

The outlet reported yesterday that the proposal demands an inspection mechanism be put in place to ensure Hamas combatants are not able to move to the Strip’s north; sees Israel remaining on the Gaza-Egypt border known as the Philadelphi Corridor during the first phase of the deal; and insists on Israel receiving a list of all living hostages Hamas will release as part of the deal.

This morning’s report adds the proposal had been updated on the recommendation of the Biden administration, on the understanding that a clarifying document could push the negotiations forward.

The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement last night saying that talks around the hostage deal would continue “in the coming days,” after Mossad director David Barnea returned from meetings in Rome with top negotiators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar on the updated proposal earlier in the day.