New hostage deal in the works? Recent activity suggests Israel is willing to conduct negotiations for another deal

An Egyptian delegation visited Tel Aviv on Thursday to discuss ways to end the war in Gaza, including the release of hostages, the Qatari-owned news site Al-Araby reported.

Israeli media reported Mossad Chief David Barnea has been cleared by the War Cabinet to proceed with negotiations by Qatari officials on a hostage release proposal. 

Neither Israel nor Hamas have reached any agreement on the Qatari proposal for a hostage release deal, which would see a ceasefire of several weeks in exchange for the release of 40-50 Israeli hostages.  

The Jerusalem Post reported that Hamas had “agreed in principle” to return to negotiations. 

However, Al-Araby reported that Hamas is seeking a permanent ceasefire in any hostage deal, and quoted a Palestinian source who told the newspaper: "Hamas needs an official pledge from the countries sponsoring the agreement not to return to fire again under any reason.” 

The Egyptian delegation reportedly proposed a complete withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza at the end of the ground campaign. The Arab world has expressed significant concern that Israel plans to annex some or all of the Gaza Strip when the war ends despite Israeli officials denying such a move. Instead, Israel noted that IDF security presence will be necessary for some time at the conclusion of the war.

On Sunday morning, Israel's local i24 news reported that a different Egyptian source denied the report of an Egyptian delegation to Israel and did not provide any further details about the Qatari story. 

Meanwhile, Egypt invited Palestinian factions to Cairo for discussions about ending the war, including a Hamas delegation which was set to arrive in Cairo on Friday. Egypt is in talks with several Palestinian factions, attempting to create proposal for peace that would be broadly accepted. 

The Egyptian proposal reportedly calls for a Palestinian government of technocrats, representing various Palestinian factions, to govern Gaza after the end of hostilities. 

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have reportedly rejected any proposal requiring them to cede power in the Gaza Strip. 

Israel has stated that it will not accept any permanent ceasefire proposal which includes Hamas remaining in Gaza. 

While the Qatari proposal reportedly includes the release of hostages for a temporary ceasefire, the Egyptian proposal appears to have the release of hostages as part of a permanent ceasefire, which would include Hamas voluntarily giving up rule in the Gaza Strip. 

In the meantime, Israel continues operations in the southern Gaza Strip aimed at locating Hamas leaders and Israeli hostages. 

The Israeli government said that some 129 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, although several are known to be dead as Hamas has been holding the bodies of several Israelis who died during the Oct. 7 attacks and some who died or were killed in captivity afterwards.