Israeli officials are weighing an Egyptian proposal for a small-scale cease-fire deal with Hamas aimed at trying to build momentum for a larger agreement, an Israeli official told NBC News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel early Tuesday as part of a Middle East tour aimed at renewing talks for a comprehensive deal to end the intensifying regional conflict after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
It comes as Israel continues to mount a deadly offensive in northern Gaza, where thousands of people have fled intense Israeli operations in areas like the Jabalia refugee camp in recent days. Israeli forces also continued their invasion of southern Lebanon on Tuesday, striking parts of the country’s capital, Beirut.
Israel’s security cabinet has discussed the Egyptian proposal for a two-week truce in Gaza, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Egyptian proposal calls for the release of just six Israeli hostages in exchange, the official said. It was suggested by Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, the new head of Egyptian intelligence, who took up his post last week.
The Egyptian proposal was first reported by Axios.
“The thinking is that efforts at a big deal kept meeting challenges. So the idea is to get the momentum going with a smaller deal,” the Israeli official said. The official cautioned that while the proposal has been discussed by Israeli leaders it has not been approved.
It’s also unclear if Hamas would be open to a smaller agreement.
While the U.S. is hopeful that the killing of the militant group’s hardline leader last week could create an opportunity for negotiations, a U.S. official acknowledged in a briefing to reporters on Monday that the US does not know who — if anyone — is currently in charge of Hamas and could negotiate on its behalf.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Raf Sanchez reported from Tel Aviv, and Chantal Da Silva from London.
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