According to Arab media reports from Monday evening, various proposals are being discussed regarding another hostage deal with Hamas. These reportedly include a lengthy ceasefire and potentially an end to the war altogether. Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, is sounding the alarm. He opposes any partial deal with Hamas, especially one that halts the fighting. Hirsch stresses that such a move risks undermining the IDF’s battlefield accomplishments.
“Hamas Is Trying to Use the Pressure to Push for Partial Deals”
“The more pressure we apply on Hamas, the more willing they are to compromise and make concessions,” Hirsch explains. “IDF forces in the field can amplify this effect far more than what we’re currently seeing. Hamas is trying to exploit the effectiveness of that pressure to push for partial deals—this is unacceptable.”
He adds that returning to diplomatic arrangements now would stall the operational momentum and undo hard-won gains. “Any such deal takes the wind out of our sails and sets us back by two or three months each time,” says Hirsch.
“A ‘Partial Deal Sets Us Back”
Hirsch warns against cooperating with Hamas’s attempts to secure a truce. He argues that any pause in military pressure will impair the IDF’s ability to dismantle Hamas’s terror infrastructure. “We’ve seen that when we resumed maneuvering recently, it took us nearly a month simply to return to optimal operational levels.”
“That’s why,” he concludes, “any partial deal sets us back in terms of battlefield gains.”
The Prime Minister Reaffirms His Commitment to Bringing the Hostages Home
The Prime Minister’s Office announced Monday evening that Prime Minister Netanyahu held phone calls with the mothers of hostages Tamir Nimrodi, Avinatan Or, and Eitan Horn.
In the calls, the Prime Minister outlined the efforts being made to return the hostages and noted that intensive negotiations are currently underway. “The Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to the return of all hostages—both the living and the fallen,” the statement said.
From a Truce to a Ceasefire
According to Lebanon’s Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen network, the Israeli draft proposal given to Hamas includes the following terms:
- Day 1: Release of Edan Alexander as a goodwill gesture to the U.S. A temporary ceasefire begins, lasting 45 days.
- Day 2: Release of five live hostages in exchange for 66 Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences and 611 detainees from Gaza. Israel demands that the releases occur without parades or public ceremonies. After the first hostages are freed, humanitarian aid and shelter materials will be allowed into Gaza. Only after the aid enters will Israel begin repositioning its forces in northern Gaza and Rafah.
- Day 7: Release of four additional hostages in exchange for 54 terrorists. According to the report, another 500 detainees arrested after October 7 would also be released.
- Day 10: Hamas will provide information on the condition of the remaining hostages in exchange for information on terrorists.
- Day 20: Release of 16 hostages who were murdered or otherwise died in captivity in exchange for 160 Palestinian terrorists.
Al-Mayadeen notes that the ceasefire may be extended if an additional agreement is reached.
Hadas Amram contributed to this article
