Hostage deal “not at any price”

Will there be a new ceasefire in the Gaza war? Israel wants to release the Hamas hostages, but not unconditionally. An overview of what happened at night and a look ahead to the day.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will not agree to a possible new agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of more hostages “at any price.” “We have red lines,” said the under-pressure head of government in a video speech, as the Times of Israel reported. He therefore reiterated that the war would not be ended, the troops would not be withdrawn and “thousands of terrorists” would not be released from prison for a hostage deal.

The right-wing politician also called for an end to the mandate of the controversial UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). “I think it is time for the international community and the UN to understand that UNRWA’s mission must end,” he told diplomats in Jerusalem.

Report: Intelligence chief describes details of hostage deal

According to Channel 12, the head of the Israeli secret service Mossad, David Barnea, told the war cabinet ministers the outlines of a possible agreement, the Times of Israel reported. These would provide for the release of 35 female, sick, injured and elderly hostages in a first phase in which the fighting would pause for 35 days. There would then be another week-long ceasefire, during which negotiators would try to free young men and hostages who Hamas described as soldiers, it said.

The Washington Post had previously reported that the draft negotiated in Paris stipulates that all civilians kidnapped from Israel will initially be released during a six-week ceasefire. For one hostage, three Palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli prisons.

According to the US report, the modalities are still unclear as to which prisoners will be released and who can determine this. As of Wednesday evening, Hamas had not responded to the draft, wrote the Times of Israel. Hamas is expected to send its response through Qatar.

Netanyahu: Do everything possible to release the hostages

A key point of contention that has not yet been resolved is Hamas’ demand that the agreement provide for a permanent ceasefire, which Israel has ruled out. Netanyahu has repeatedly reiterated that Israel will stick to its goals of destroying Hamas and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.

He met with relatives of the hostages and, according to Netanyahu’s office, assured them that everything was being done to free the hostages. “It is still too early to say how this will happen, but the efforts are being made now, at this moment,” Netanyahu said at the meeting.

A new framework agreement to release the hostages is being worked on, “but I emphasize – not at any price,” the head of government was quoted as saying on Wednesday evening. Hamas abducted more than 250 hostages to the Gaza Strip in its unprecedented terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th. It is estimated that more than 130 people are still in their power. Israel believes that 27 of them are no longer alive.

Employees of the UN relief agency UNRWA are said to have been involved in the Hamas massacre on October 7th. Several Western countries have temporarily suspended payments to UNRWA in response to the allegations, including the United States and Germany. “UNRWA is completely infiltrated by Hamas,” Netanyahu said. A neutral aid organization in the Gaza Strip is definitely necessary. But UNRWA cannot be this organization. It must be replaced by a structure that “does the job”.

Baerbock demands clarification of the allegations against UNRWA

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for a differentiated debate about the future of the UN aid agency and demanded that the UN quickly clarify the allegations against UNRWA employees. “The situation in Gaza is simply hell,” said the Green politician in the debate about the Federal Foreign Office’s budget in the Bundestag in Berlin. UNRWA is almost the sole provider in Gaza, as all other aid organizations there “can hardly be active at the moment,” she said.

The UN emergency relief coordinator has described UNRWA as the “heart” of the humanitarian response to the people of the Gaza Strip. UNRWA’s life-saving work during the war “should not be jeopardized by allegations of alleged actions by a few people,” Martin Griffiths told a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Wednesday. He was also horrified by the allegations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres had promised a comprehensive investigation and ended cooperation with several employees of the controversial UN aid agency.