President Isaac Herzog hosted a meeting today (Thursday) at the President’s Residence with influential Muslim religious leaders and imams from Arab communities. The meeting aimed to address the challenges of escalating violence and crime within Arab society and foster collaboration to combat these issues. During the meeting, the president referred to the ongoing negotiations regarding a potential hostage deal, saying:
“There are currently intense negotiations underway. This could influence the entire region, perhaps even leading to a diplomatic process with Saudi Arabia, which I believe would transform the dialogue among the descendants of Abraham.”
The Egyptian Proposal for a Hostage Deal
Earlier today, we reported on a new Egyptian proposal as detailed by the pro-Qatari network Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. The initial outline suggests a phased deal, with the first stage lasting 1.5 to 2 months. It would involve the gradual release of live hostages—likely in smaller numbers than before—in exchange for the release of prisoners based on new criteria to be negotiated. The proposal also includes transferring control of the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian Authority.
In addition, Egypt proposes significantly increasing the volume of humanitarian aid, enabling the transfer of around 350 trucks per day into the Gaza Strip. They also suggest a redeployment of Israeli forces along the Philadelphi Route and Netzarim Corridor. This proposal could lead to a temporary compromise where Israel would not have to formally declare an end to the war but would begin the gradual withdrawal of its forces.
If conditions align for negotiations based on these understandings, a security delegation led by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar is expected to travel to Cairo next week, according to Qatari reports.
