Israel proposed giving Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza in exchange for the group freeing the hostages it holds and giving up control of the strip, a senior official said, even as doubts deepen about the two sides’ ability to reach any ceasefire accord.
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“I’m ready to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join him,” Israel hostage envoy Gal Hirsch said on Tuesday. “We want the hostages back. We want demilitarisation, deradicalisation of course – a new system that will manage Gaza.”
Hirsch said he put the offer of safe passage on the table a day and a half ago and declined to characterise the response so far. He reiterated that Israel would also be willing to release prisoners it holds as part of any deal.
Hirsch described the offer as part of an effort to come up with new solutions as prospects for a ceasefire look more dim. The US, Qatar and Egypt are working to present Israel with a new ceasefire proposal, but Hirsch said Hamas has so far sought to dictate terms rather than negotiate.
It’s unclear whether Hamas would accept the proposal for Sinwar to leave Gaza, especially given Israel’s history of operations targeting operatives abroad. Israel has not taken responsibility for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran. But Iran has said the killing – Haniyeh was slain in a bomb blast at a Tehran guest house – was Israel’s handiwork.