Two Israeli officials said Tuesday that, contrary to statements issued by a “senior Israeli official” in recent days, Jerusalem is studying the proposal for a phased hostage-ceasefire deal that Hamas on Sunday said it had agreed to.

The terror group’s announcement came days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who for months pushed a phased-deal — said that going forward he will not accept any agreement that does not involve the return of all hostages in one go.

It also came as hundreds of thousands protested Sunday across Israel demanding a comprehensive deal, and opposing the government’s recently-approved plan to take over all of Gaza City.

Netanyahu has not officially responded to the latest proposal, though he said Monday, “Hamas is under immense pressure.”

In response to media inquiries, the Prime Minister’s Office reiterated in a statement Tuesday the cabinet’s conditions for ending the war: the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all living and dead hostages, the dismantling of the terrorist organization’s governing apparatus, the establishment of Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip, and an alternative civilian government that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

On Sunday, Hamas said it had accepted a deal based on the so-called “Witkoff framework,” which would commit the terror group to release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 of the slain hostages, in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release by Israel of hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, amid talks for a permanent end to the war.

In exchange for each living hostage, the deal would see Israel release 60 Palestinian security prisoners serving sentences of at least 15 years, and would in total release 140 prisoners serving life sentences; Israel would over 1,000 Gazans detained without charge by the IDF since October 7; and that for each slain hostage’s body, ten bodies of dead Palestinian prisoners would be returned, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The terror group’s turnaround came after Netanyahu publicly changed his position on partial deals, and after the security cabinet approved the plan to capture and hold all of Gaza City in the northern Strip.

The takeover idea was reportedly opposed by senior military officials, who are said to have warned ministers that it would endanger the remaining hostages, of whom 20-22 are believed to be alive. Nevertheless, on Tuesday night, Defense Minister Israel Katz met with senior officers to approve plans for the operation.

Two Israeli officials said Tuesday that Jerusalem is studying the hostage-ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas, and that........

© The Times of Israel