Hamas has slashed the number of Israeli hostages it is willing to release in exchange for the release of hundreds of Arab prisoners.
CNN reports, citing a White House source familiar with the US-mediated negotiations in Doha, that Hamas rejected an offer that would have seen a six-week ceasefire and the exchange of 900 Arab prisoners in exchange for 40 Israeli ‘humanitarian’ hostages, such as women, children, and the sick. Hamas counteroffered by offering 20 hostages that fall under that classification, indicating there may not be more than this number of hostages still alive.
Hamas is allegedly seeking even more dangerous Arab prisoners released as part of their counterproposal. They also want US-backed assurances that Israeli troops will completely pull out of Gaza and unrestricted access for Palestinians to return to the northern part of the enclave.
The report suggests that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar feels that the chips are on his side, believing international pressure on Israel will increase and a broader regional war will open up as tensions between Hezbollah and Iran continue to rise.
“I think part of this is Hamas thinks they’re winning. Because their definition of success is survival and they’ve survived so far,” the White House official told CNN. “The longer the conflict has gone on the more recalcitrant Hamas has become rather than the other way around.”
Some hope remains that Hamas’s claim about the limited number of surviving hostages could be a lie to exert psychological pressure on Israel.
