On Wednesday, the Mossad reported that it had received and is reviewing Hamas’s updated comments on the newest hostage release deal.
Although negotiations for the release of hostages and a pause in fighting in Gaza have been ongoing, they have frequently been obstructed by Hamas’s change in position and renewal of demands.
The previous hostage deal was halted when Hamas demanded Israel submit to an immediate and permanent ceasefire before any hostages were released. In contrast, the deal required only a pause in fighting during the first phase.
After the initial review of the most updated version, an Israeli defense official said, “Hamas continues to insist on a principle clause in the deal that would prevent Israel from returning to fight after the first stage of the deal, which is not acceptable to Israel.”
