Tel Aviv:
Israel’s Minister of National Security Ozma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir threatened on Tuesday to overthrow the government if it reached a “reckless” hostage deal with Hamas.
His tweet came as clear progress was made on a deal to release 136 captives in Gaza kidnapped by Palestinian groups during an Oct. 7 attack on communities near the Strip.
In an apparent response to Ben-Gvir’s tweet, opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on
“Over the past 116 days, I have met with dozens of families of abductees. I promised them, and I repeat my promise, that we will provide the government with a safety net to reach any agreement on the return of abductees to their homes and An agreement for families. This is our goal. A commitment to the abductees and their families, this is our commitment,” Lapid wrote in a lengthy series of tweets.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau in Qatar, said on Tuesday that the Palestinian organization would study a proposal received by the parties during talks in Paris on Sunday, adding that he would visit Cairo for talks on the initiative.
Haniyeh said Hamas’s top priority is to end Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and withdraw all forces from the coastal enclave. Demands for an end to the war run counter to Israel’s stated goal of destroying the group.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the Paris meeting was “considered constructive.” However, “significant differences remain and discussions between the two sides will continue at other mutual meetings this week.”
Mossad chief David Bania, Israel Security Service chief Ronan Barr and the IDF’s key hostage negotiator Maj. Gen. Nizan Alon met with Qatari and Egyptian mediators at the Paris talks.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Egypt’s General Intelligence Director Abbas Kamal and CIA Director William Burns also attended the meeting.
Unconfirmed reports say the impending agreement is for a two-month ceasefire and the phased release of more than 100 hostages. Israel will also increase the amount of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and commute the sentences of an unknown number of Palestinian terrorists.
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