Gaza negotiations…an American proposal regarding prisoners and hostages

An Israeli official familiar with the talks hosted by Qatar revealed on Saturday that the United States had presented a proposal that brings closer views regarding the number of Palestinian prisoners that Israel must release for every hostage released by Hamas during a possible new truce in Gaza.

“During the negotiations, significant gaps emerged regarding the issue of the ratio of prisoners to be released for each hostage,” the official said.

He added: “The United States put on the table a proposal to bring views closer, and Israel responded positively to it, but Hamas has not yet responded.”

The official did not provide details about the American proposal, and the American embassy in Israel has not commented yet.

An Israeli delegation headed by the head of the Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, is visiting Doha to conduct indirect negotiations with the Hamas movement, while CIA Director William Burns provides assistance to the mediators, including Qatari and Egyptian officials.