Israel considers commitment to prohibit targeted killings of Hamas leaders in hostage deal - KAN news

Israel is reportedly considering a Hamas demand that would prohibit its military from targeting top terrorist leaders in exchange for the release of all the remaining hostages and a demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

On Friday, Israeli officials told the local KAN news outlet that they might consider a permanent ceasefire if Hamas’ leaders in Gaza leave the Strip and go into exile.

In addition, Hamas is also demanding that Israel fully withdraw all of its forces in Gaza as part of the deal to release the estimated 130 hostages – some of whom are already dead – remaining in Hamas’ terror tunnels.

The hostages were captured by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, when an estimated 3,000 terrorists invaded Israel and brutally killed at least 1,200 civilians, thereby launching the war.

According to a senior Israeli official quoted by KAN, an offer is being considered, “including a commitment not to harm the exiled senior officials.”

Hamas officials previously rejected suggestions about going into exile.

“Hamas and its leaders are on their land in Gaza,” Husam Badran, a senior Hamas official, told the New York Times in late January. “We won’t leave.”

In November, both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant made it clear that the top Hamas leadership would not escape responsibility for their crimes.

“I instructed the Mossad [Israeli Intelligence Service] to act against the Hamas leaders,” Netanyahu said at the time, regarding senior terrorists living outside the Gaza Strip.

“They are living on borrowed time,” the Defense Minister added, calling the terrorists “dead men walking.”

“The struggle is worldwide: From gunmen in the field to those who are enjoying luxury jets while their emissaries are acting against women and children – they are destined to die,” Gallant warned.

“I, the IDF, the Shin Bet and the [entire] defense establishment, are committed to completing this war until we achieve our goals - until we destroy Hamas and bring home the hostages.”

On Saturday night, Israeli media reported that an Israeli delegation is currently in Qatar for hostage negotiations and that it had agreed to a compromise, suggested by the United States, regarding the number of Palestinian terrorists to be exchanged for each Israeli hostage.

The delegation is now waiting for Hamas to respond to the proposal. Some pundits believe Hamas may drag out the negotiations further by continuing to set new demands.

Earlier this month, Israel's Mossad intelligence agency made a rare public statement: “Hamas is doubling down on its position, uninterested in a deal, and seeks to inflame the region during Ramadan at the expense of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip.”