US and Israeli officials float idea of ‘all or nothing' Gaza deal
JERUSALEM – For months, the Israeli government had focused on negotiating a two-phased deal for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of some hostages, leaving discussions about a permanent end to the war for a later stage.
With the talks now at an impasse, US and Israeli officials appear to be sharply changing their tone by signalling that they will push for a comprehensive deal. But Israel and Hamas remain far apart, and analysts said this new approach would also face steep challenges.
The shift, at least in rhetoric, comes as the Israeli government faces rising domestic pressure to secure the release of
hostages still held in Gaza . Israel believes that about 20 are still alive and that the bodies of 30 others remain in the enclave.
Mr Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration's special envoy to the Middle East, met families of Israeli hostages on Aug 2 and told them that US President Donald Trump now wants to see all the living hostages released at once.
'No piecemeal deals, that doesn't work,' he said, according to an audio recording published by the Ynet Hebrew news site.
'Now we think that we have to shift this negotiation to 'all or nothing' – everybody comes home,' he said. 'We have a plan around it,' he added, without elaborating. A participant in the meeting confirmed that Mr Witkoff made such remarks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Mr Trump are said to be working on a new proposal that would involve presenting Hamas with an ultimatum, according to reports in Israeli media that were confirmed on Aug 3 by a person familiar with the matter. The White House was not immediately available for comment.
Under the terms of the ultimatum, Hamas would have to release the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and agree to terms to end the war that include the group's disarmament.
Mr Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, said the Palestinian armed group had yet to receive a formal Israeli proposal from Arab mediators. He said that while Hamas supported such an agreement in principle, it would not disarm – a core Israeli condition.
'This has been our demand from the beginning: an end to the war, the release of prisoners, and day-after arrangements in the Gaza Strip – a clear and comprehensive deal,' he said. NYTIMES
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