Hamas's disappointment with the apparent deal – and Israel's unprecedented concession

Israel recently signaled that it would allow the release of senior prisoners serving long prison terms in exchange for the release of abductees, as reported this evening (Monday) in the "New York Times" from sources familiar with the details.

Netanyahu to foreign media: "We are working on a deal, I don't know if we will achieve it"
Israeli action in Rafah and the Paris plan: the pressure on Hamas for a deal is increasing

The change in Israeli negotiating strategy, which has not been publicly announced, is significant because it may help convince Hamas to release troops and agree to a deal that would temporarily suspend fighting in the Gaza Strip. International efforts to reach a truce have stalled because of Israel's refusal to release Palestinians convicted of murder and commit to a permanent ceasefire.

Now, Israeli negotiators have privately agreed to a US proposal that would result in the release of five Israeli soldiers in exchange for 15 terrorists convicted of terrorism, according to the report. The idea is seen as a basis for negotiations with Hamas, which has not responded to the proposal. Israel has previously avoided such a concession, among other things Because the release of terrorists, even in exchange for Israeli hostages, will draw fierce internal criticism. However, other elements of the apparent deal, which also include the duration of the ceasefire and Hamas's demand for a complete withdrawal from Gaza, are still under discussion.

Still, the idea could add momentum to the talks, as officials race to complete a deal before the start of Ramadan in about two weeks. An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Qatar as early as Monday to continue negotiations with international mediators. According to one of the senior officials, Israeli intelligence officers believe that the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar , has become more flexible in recent weeks for a deal that theoretically would only allow for a temporary ceasefire – with the hope that it would become permanent.

In the meantime, journalist Barak Ravid reported this evening that the Qatari mediators informed Israel in recent days that senior Hamas officials are "disappointed" with the outline of the deal for the release of the abductees that was presented in Paris last Friday and emphasized that there is a significant gap between it and their demands, Israeli senior officials said.

Representatives of the Mossad, the Shin Bet and the IDF today held a first round of talks in Doha, the capital of Qatar, with the Egyptian and Qatari mediators on the humanitarian aspects of the hostage deal. At the same time, the Egyptian and Qatari representatives are holding talks with Hamas representatives who are also in Doha in an attempt to pressure them to flex their demands – especially in regards to the quantity and "quality" of the prisoners they demand to be released for each abductee.

"There is no room for much optimism," said an Israeli senior official. "The progress that Israel achieved with the mediators in Paris did not close the gaps with Hamas. It is difficult to see at this stage how an agreement is reached until Ramadan."

Let's recall that "Maariv" reporter Anna Barsky revealed this evening that sources familiar with the dialogue between the parties told Maariv today that behind the scenes Israel does not rule out reaching a long-term settlement. "What has been discussed recently in the talks between the United States, Israel and the mediators is the possibility of reaching a comprehensive settlement, when the humanitarian deal will actually be its first stage," said the sources, "of course, now, as long as the attempt to reach a comprehensive deal has not matured, there is not too much public talk about This ambition, and the silence also stems from political considerations, in order not to upset the hawkish branch of the government."

The officials emphasized that this is a principled position held by the decision makers in Jerusalem, and not a specific mandate given to the professional officials who went to Qatar today. "For the time being, only a temporary truce is on the agenda," they stressed, "and if in the end there is no comprehensive agreement, then Israel will renew the fire and return to fighting. However, there is an understanding between the parties – and this is what the mediators are telling Hamas – that the trend is to try to reach a comprehensive settlement without resuming fighting ".

Tonight, the "New York Times" reported that regarding the progress of the talks , that so far Israel has agreed to a basic outline for a deal that will include a six-week ceasefire and the release of about 40 hostages. However, a major obstacle remains stuck in the negotiations, and that is Hamas's insistence on a complete cessation of IDF operations in the Gaza Strip in exchange for some sort of quick release. Two Israeli officials told the American newspaper that the goal is to reach a deal before the start of Ramadan, which is expected to begin this year in March 10.