Israel opens to the end of the war in Gaza

For the first time since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to discussing ending the war in Gaza as part of a hostage deal - reported Barak Ravid, political reporter and Middle East expert at American service Axios.

This perhaps groundbreaking shift in position results from talks between Egyptian intelligence representatives and the Israeli negotiation team.

"The new proposal contains a response to many of Hamas's demands, such as the desire for the full return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza and the withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces from the corridor dividing the enclave and preventing free movement," Axios reported.

Barak Ravid determined that "the proposal also includes a willingness to discuss the possibility of establishing a permanent ceasefire as part of the implementation of the second phase of the agreement, which will occur after the release of hostages for humanitarian reasons."

Axios’s Middle East expert noted that for the first time since the terrorist attack in October, Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to talks about ending the war in Gaza as part of a hostage agreement.

Israel's proposal involves the release of several dozen hostages by Hamas (the exact number is subject to negotiation) in exchange for six weeks of ceasefire and the release of about 900 Palestinian prisoners.

"Hamas should understand that it is possible that if the first phase of the agreement is realized, it will be possible to move to the next stages and bring an end to the war," an Israeli official added in conversation with Axios.

The war between Israel and Hamas is one of the topics of the two-day World Economic Forum that began on Sunday (April 28) in the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said during the first panel discussion in Riyadh that geopolitical tensions are likely the biggest threat to the global economy.

"The lives of civilians are important, whether in Ukraine, Palestine, or anywhere else," said al-Jadaan, emphasizing that conflicts affect social moods, which in turn affect the economy.

The war in Gaza and tensions in the Middle East are visible, among other things, in the Brent crude oil prices, which balance around $73 per barrel. Meanwhile, world trade suffered due to the paralysis of the route through the Red Sea, caused by attacks by Yemen's Houthis on cargo ships.

In the Hamas attack on Israel, about 1,170 people died, mainly civilians, and about 130 people are captive. In the Israeli retaliation in Gaza, more than 34,000 people died, mainly women and children.