
US-Backed Ceasefire Plan For Gaza Still Under Discussion, But Optimism Fading
Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been taking part in the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha since July 6, discussing a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza and discussions on ending the conflict.
U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been working to secure an agreement. However, initial optimism that a deal might be at hand has waned in recent days.
Here are the details of the ceasefire proposals, as outlined by an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, and a look at some of the political calculations in play:
Hostages And Palestinian Prisoners
Ten hostages held in Gaza will be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. The swaps will take place without ceremonies or parades. In exchange, Israel will release detained Palestinians. The exact number is not clear.
Israel says that of 50 hostages held by Hamas and its allies, about 20 are believed to be alive.
Aid To Palestinians
In accordance with a January 19 agreement, aid will immediately enter Gaza in sufficient amounts with the involvement of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Israeli Withdrawals
On Day One, after an initial eight hostages are released, the Israeli army will withdraw from parts of northern Gaza as per maps that will be agreed upon.
On Day Seven, after receiving five bodies, Israel will withdraw from parts of the south as per the maps.
A technical team will work on drawing boundaries for withdrawals during rapid negotiations that will take place after agreement on the framework of the proposal.
Begotiations On A Permanent Ceasefire
On Day One of the agreement, negotiations will start on a permanent ceasefire. If an agreement is reached, all remaining Palestinian prisoners detained from Gaza since October 7, 2023, will be released.
Guarantees
The proposal guarantees U.S. President Donald Trump's commitment to the agreement. The mediators will guarantee serious negotiations take place during the pause. If more time is needed, they can extend that period.
Political Calculations In Israel
Two far-right members of the Israeli cabinet -- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir -- have criticised the ceasefire push, demanding instead the total destruction of Hamas.
It is not clear if they would resign if a deal is signed. Looking to keep them on side, Netanyahu is pushing for the Israeli military to hold much more of Gaza than it did when the last ceasefire came into effect in January, allowing the army to control land between Khan Younis and Rafah in the south. The government has said it plans to build a "humanitarian city" for some 600,000 people in this area, saying it will be a safe space for Gazans. Opponents have likened it to a concentration camp.
Critics say Netanyahu is looking to stretch out the negotiations until July 27, when the Knesset (parliament) breaks for the summer recess. It is much harder to collapse a government when the Knesset is closed.
Political Calculations For Hamas
Hamas is fundamentally opposed to leaving so much land under direct Israeli control or the creation of a closed-off "humanitarian city", which would further diminish its already battered grip on the coastal enclave. As such, it is demanding that Israeli forces withdraw to the lines established ahead of the January ceasefire.
It has also pushed for stronger guarantees that any pause in hostilities would lead to a permanent end to the war, worried that the Israelis have no intention of extending the truce.
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Indian Express
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With the humanitarian crisis in Gaza growing more alarming, Israel Sunday said it would halt military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and allow new aid corridors. Days before, Israel and the United States had withdrawn from ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, citing the Palestinian group's lack of 'good faith'. The following day, on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country would declare its recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September, drawing criticism from both the US and Israel. On July 21, 25 countries including Italy, Canada, UK, Japan, France and the EU had asserted that 'the war in Gaza must end now'. In recent days, multiple Western leaders, including Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian PM Mark Carney, and Australian PM Anthony Albanese have strongly criticised Israel's actions in Gaza. These developments represent a global rift — including in the West — when it comes to Israel and Palestine. 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Another Knesset resolution a year ago had rejected the possibility of allowing a sovereign Palestinian state. In June, Israel approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Most of Israel's West Bank settlements are deemed illegal by the UN and a majority of its member states, including India. That Israeli ministers also look to re-settle Homesh and Sa-Nur in the Northern West Bank, evacuated along with the settlements in Gaza in 2005, is indicative of Israel's concerted push to leverage the war to expand its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. It is thus notable that France and Saudi Arabia are set to co-chair an international conference on the two-state solution at the UN from July 28. While a ministerial-level conference on the two-state solution was held at the UN in September 2024, Israel's war of attrition, combined with forced mass starvation, has sparked a renewed push to explore methods to advance the solution. However, unlike earlier global pushes for a Palestinian state alongside Israel according to pre-1967 borders, the current international effort arguably occurs with the US and Israel being the least amenable. Even as questions over the reform of the Palestinian Authority (restricted to the West Bank since 2007) can be addressed, the question of Hamas' future remains a dead-end. The upcoming international conference will bolster support for Palestinian statehood (recognised by 147 of the UN's 193 member states) but the degree to which participating states can influence Israeli actions remains unclear. It remains to be seen if the conference propels states to undertake punitive measures of any nature and scale against Israel, failing which Tel Aviv has little incentive to cease hostilities and territorial expansion, especially with continuing US support. Bashir Ali Abbas is a Senior Research Associate at the Council for Strategic and Defense Research, New Delhi
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