Hamas is telling mediators that they are willing to discuss a partial deal, sources tell The Jerusalem Post.
"We will accept an agreement only on the condition that all hostages are released in a single phase and according to our conditions for ending the war," the Israeli Prime Minister's office said.
Hamas has sent a message to the mediators, expressing its willingness to discuss a partial agreement, two sources with knowledge of the developments told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday.
The mediators have made it clear to Hamas that Israel is serious about taking control of Gaza City, urging them to agree to certain terms of a deal.
According to an evening statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Israel will only accept an agreement that includes the release of all hostages in a single phase and on its own terms for ending the war.
The conditions include:
disarming Hamas;
the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip;
Israeli security control over the territory;
and the creation of a governing authority that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority and that lives in peace with Israel.
This is the first time that the Prime Minister's Office has called for a complete agreement without any ambiguity.
Two sources familiar with the details of the negotiations said that a partial agreement could be formulated in the short term, however, they warned of caution as similar situations have occurred before.
Last week, after two press conferences, Netanyahu responded to the Post with a vague "yes and no," refusing to give a clear answer on whether he would reject a partial deal if it were on the table.
Only a comprehensive agreement is under consideration, several sources have reiterated. However, it appears that the prime minister has not completely closed the door to a partial agreement.
On Thursday, Mossad director David Barnea told Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha that a partial deal is not on the table, The Jerusalem Post previously reported, citing an Israeli official.
The Jerusalem Post
