US envoy urges Israel’s Netanyahu to be flexible in Gaza ceasefire talks: Report

Steve Wikoff, the US envoy to the Middle East, who was in the Qatari capital Doha yesterday, has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several times in recent days urging him to broaden the mandate of his negotiating team and be more flexible in talks with Hamas, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported citing an unnamed source.

The outreach comes as Israel ramps up its genocide in Gaza, launching a second day of heavy air strikes on various areas, including near the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis in the south, killing at least 70 Palestinians, including women and children.

Despite the ongoing negotiations and President Donald Trump’s diplomatic visit to the region, Netanyahu continues to resist diplomatic concessions.

Israel is sticking to the “Witkoff framework”, a proposal outlined two and a half months ago that calls for a 45-day ceasefire and negotiations in exchange for Hamas releasing ten captives and handing over the remains of half of the Israelis who have died, the source told the daily.

The Israeli delegation in Doha, led by the Shin Bet security agency’s deputy chief, has meetings with Witkoff and US hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler, according to another newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth.

Witkoff is also exploring additional proposals, including phased hostage releases, to persuade parties to agree to a ceasefire, the newspaper added, citing unnamed sources.

However, Israeli officials continue to insist that any end to the war must include the return of all captives, the disarmament of Hamas and the exile of its leadership.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported earlier yesterday that, despite US pressure, the Israeli delegation’s mandate remains narrowly limited to discussing the original Witkoff plan, with no room for further negotiation.

Hamas has repeatedly expressed its willingness to negotiate a comprehensive deal to release Israeli hostages in exchange for a complete ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu has added new conditions, including disarming Hamas, which the group rejects as long as the Israeli occupation continues.
Opposition lawmakers and the families of captives accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war to appease far-right factions and maintain political power.

New proposal

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom reported that Trump is reviewing a new Saudi-Emirati proposal that calls for the immediate release of captives, the disarmament of Hamas, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, and international oversight of reconstruction efforts.

Unnamed sources familiar with the negotiations told the newspaper that behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to reach a ceasefire agreement before Trump leaves the region tomorrow.
The report said Israel has “clearly signalled” that a ceasefire deal may lead to a potential meeting between Trump and Netanyahu.
There was no comment from Saudi, Emirati, or US officials on the reported proposal.

The Israeli negotiating delegation arrived in Doha on Tuesday, ahead of Witkoff and Boehler, for the latest round of mediation. Cairo, Doha and Washington are hoping to reach an agreement before the end of Trump’s visit, his first to the region since beginning his second term in January.
Israel estimates that 58 of its citizens are held captive in Gaza, with 20 still alive. Meanwhile, more than 9,900 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, many of whom are subjected to torture, malnutrition and medical neglect, according to rights groups.
A previous ceasefire and prisoner swap brokered by Egypt and Qatar, backed by the US, began on 19 January and was ended unilaterally by Israel in early March.

The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 52,900 Palestinians since October 2023, most of them women and children.