Israel Considers Allowing Civilian Return to North Gaza

The warring parties have intensified negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, for a six-week suspension of Israel’s offensive in exchange for the proposed release of 40 of the 130 hostages held by the Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza. Israel said on Sunday that it is willing to allow the return of Palestinians displaced from the northern Gaza Strip as part of peace talks, an apparent concession to a key Hamas demand. The warring parties have intensified negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, for a six-week suspension of Israel’s offensive in exchange for the proposed release of 40 of the 130 hostages held by the Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza.

Hamas has attempted to leverage any agreement into an end to violence and the evacuation of Israeli troops. Israel has ruled this out, stating that it will begin attempts to remove Hamas’ administration and military capabilities. Hamas also wants to enable hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who left Gaza City and neighboring regions southward during the first stage of the almost six-month-old conflict to return north. Initially, Israel refused. However, an Israeli official briefed on the Doha discussions stated that this posture has softened.

“We are now willing to discuss the return of some of the displaced,” the official told Reuters, without providing specific numbers. Israeli media suspected that the offer would be confined to women and children in order to deter gunmen from attempting to reinforce those with whom the Israeli military is still fighting in portions of Gaza City. The insider, who sought anonymity, reportedly stated that Israel has agreed in principle to free 700 to 800 Palestinian inmates in exchange for the 40 hostages. This appeared to match a demand from a Hamas plan, reported by Reuters on March 15, for the release of 700-1,000 inmates.

However, the Israeli official warned that any final decision would be based on how many of the inmates were senior militants serving lengthy sentences for violent acts.