Thu Sep 19 08:15:13 UTC 2024: ## Israeli Officials Dispute Reports of Deal for Hamas Leader’s Exile in Exchange for Hostages

**Jerusalem, October 26** – Reports of a potential deal to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the safe exile of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar have been met with conflicting statements from Israeli officials. While Israeli media outlets initially reported on the alleged deal, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the hostage negotiations team denied any knowledge of the proposal.

According to initial reports, the proposed deal would include the release of all hostages, a safe passage for Sinwar and other Hamas leaders, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the demilitarization of Gaza. However, both Gallant and the negotiations team refuted the existence of such a proposal.

The denial came after Gal Hirsch, Israel’s chief negotiator for hostages and missing persons, told Bloomberg last week that the possibility of offering Sinwar safe passage was under consideration. Hirsch also met with the families of the hostages to discuss the possibility of a deal.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, the IDF official overseeing the issue of captives, stated that the proposal Hirsch presented to the US was unknown to the negotiating team. N12 news reported that Hirsch was never part of the negotiating team.

In response to the conflicting reports, the Families’ Headquarters for the Return of the Hostages issued a statement accusing Hirsch of “cynical, cheap, and disgraceful manipulation.” They claimed that Hirsch’s actions were a “deception aimed at thwarting the new American initiative for the release of the hostages and ending the war in Gaza.”

The latest developments come as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated on Wednesday that 15 out of 18 points in the first phase of the deal have been agreed upon. However, Blinken acknowledged that remaining issues, including Israel’s insistence on an IDF presence along the Philadelphi Corridor and the prisoner exchange, need to be resolved.

The conflicting statements from Israeli officials and the ongoing negotiations highlight the complexities of securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages. The situation remains fluid, and further updates are expected in the coming days.

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