Yitzhak Hercog, the president of Israel, contacted American billionaire Elon Musk this week and asked him for help in reviving ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip, which would enable the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the Financial Times reported.
The conversation took place at the request of some of the hostages' families and was part of Hercog's “large-scale efforts to put pressure on all parties to the agreement,” a source familiar with the matter told the Financial Times.
“This unconventional move shows both the scale of influence Muskawho remains in close contacts with the US president-elect Donald Trumpbut it does not formally deal with the issues of the Middle East or the desperation of the families of the kidnapped,” the newspaper commented.
Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups invaded southern Israel on October 7, 2023. They killed about 1.2 thousand. people and abducted 251. 105 hostages were released during the several-day truce concluded a year ago, at the end of November, and four even earlier. Eight of the detainees were rescued by Israeli soldiers, who also recovered the bodies of 37 hostages. 97 people kidnapped on October 7 remain in captivity. According to the Israeli military, some of them are already dead.
As a result of the Israeli campaign in the Gaza Strip launched after this attack, over 44,600 people have died. Palestinians.
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The destroyed Gaza StripPAP/Adam Ziemienowicz
Attempts to conclude a truce in the Gaza Strip
The US, Egypt and Qatar have been trying for months to negotiate a ceasefire that would also include the release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
The talks have so far been unsuccessful. Both sides accused each other of imposing new conditions and blamed each other for the failure of the talks.
Israel has repeatedly announced that it will not agree to end the war until Hamas is destroyed as a military force and removed from power in the Gaza Strip. The Islamist group rules out ending the fighting until Israeli soldiers withdraw from the Gaza Strip.
After concluding a truce in the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon a week ago, American diplomacy has resumed efforts to stop the fighting in the Gaza Strip as well. Israel hopes that increased military pressure on Hamas will lower its demands in the negotiations.
Talks between Hamas and Egyptian representatives took place this week. According to the media, Qatar has also returned to the role of intermediary in the negotiations, having resigned from this position last month, considering that the parties did not show the “willingness and seriousness” needed to conclude an agreement.
The Times of Israel website reported on Thursday that Israel is interested in Egypt's proposal, which assumes a 60-day truce and the release of the most vulnerable hostages (sick, children, women, seniors).
Main photo source: ALLISON ROBBERT/PAP/EPA