Israeli tanks lined the southern border with Gaza on August 19, 2025, as the region sat on the edge of a pivotal decision: whether to accept a new hostage-ceasefire deal that could end nearly two years of war. The proposal, accepted by Hamas just days earlier, has thrown the Israeli government into a storm of political debate, public protest, and international mediation, with the fate of 50 hostages and the future of the Gaza Strip hanging in the balance.
According to AFP and Reuters, a senior Israeli official stated on Tuesday that Israel remains steadfast in its demand for the release of all hostages as a precondition for any ceasefire agreement. Currently, 50 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, with only 20 confirmed alive. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, emphasized, "Israel’s policy is consistent and has not changed." The government, he added, would not accept a deal that left any hostages behind.
The truce proposal, as described by sources to Reuters and The Times of Israel, includes the release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 slain Israelis in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Specifically, Israel would free 60 Palestinian security prisoners serving sentences of at least 15 years for each living hostage, totaling 140 prisoners with life sentences. Over 1,000 Gazans detained without charge since October 7, 2024, would also be released. For each deceased hostage, ten bodies of Palestinian prisoners would be returned to Gaza. Hamas has also requested the release of hundreds of Gaza detainees, a detail confirmed by two Egyptian security sources.
Despite the government's official stance, two Israeli officials told The Times of Israel that Jerusalem is actively studying the phased proposal, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to convene discussions imminently. A response was anticipated within two days, according to a Palestinian source close to the talks. This apparent contradiction has fueled confusion and frustration both within Israel and among international mediators.
Netanyahu has faced mounting domestic pressure from all sides. Far-right ministers, including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, are adamant that the war must continue until Hamas is defeated and Gaza annexed. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets, staging some of the largest protests since the conflict began. Demonstrators demand a comprehensive deal to end the fighting and secure the return of all hostages. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a direct appeal to Netanyahu, declaring, "This is your last chance to sign an agreement for the return of the 50 hostages." The group warned that if the deal is rejected, mass protests will escalate until every hostage is brought home.
The government’s indecision is further complicated by shifting political winds. Netanyahu, who for months supported a phased approach to hostage releases, recently reversed course, insisting that all hostages must be released in a single, comprehensive deal. The Israeli cabinet has outlined strict conditions for ending the war: the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all living and dead hostages, the dismantling of Hamas’s governing apparatus, Israeli security control over Gaza, and the establishment of a civilian government unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
International mediators have played a crucial role in the latest round of negotiations. Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari described the current proposal as “the best that can be offered under the present circumstances,” adding, “The atmosphere surrounding the talks is positive. We hope to reach an agreement as soon as possible, and if an understanding is reached, it must be implemented immediately without delay.” Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman al-Thani joined the talks in Egypt, leading to Hamas’s positive response to the mediators’ proposal. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close Netanyahu confidant, recently visited the United Arab Emirates to discuss Gaza, signaling the high stakes and regional implications of the negotiations.
The United States has also kept a close watch. The White House said it is "continuing to discuss" the latest proposal, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted, "I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Hamas accepted this proposal after the president of the United States posted a very strong statement about this conflict on Truth Social yesterday." Former President Trump’s post, urging the destruction of Hamas to secure the hostages’ return, was cited as a possible influence, though Arab diplomats told The Times of Israel that Hamas had already approved the proposal before the statement was made.
On the ground, the situation remains dire. Israeli forces now control 75 percent of Gaza, where 2.2 million Palestinians face increasing famine, according to United Nations officials. The war began when Hamas fighters entered Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Since then, Israel’s offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 62,000 Palestinians, with local health officials unable to distinguish between fighters and civilians. The humanitarian crisis has deepened as international aid workers, once the backbone of relief efforts, have themselves become refugees. Reham Said, a 36-year-old UN employee, shared with Xinhua News Agency, “From the fourth day of the war, my journey of displacement began. I moved more than ten times. Once, my sister’s house, where we had taken refuge, was bombed. We emerged from the rubble injured, but we survived.”
In the past, intermittent indirect negotiations produced two brief truces, allowing for hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. During a weeklong truce in November 2023, 105 civilians were freed. Since then, Hamas has released a handful of hostages, including Israeli civilians, soldiers, and foreign nationals, as gestures or under pressure. In total, Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and suspects, while eight hostages have been rescued by troops. The bodies of 49 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by Israeli forces as they attempted to escape.
The debate over the current proposal has exposed deep divisions within Israel. Hawkish hostage families, organized under the Tikva Forum, have urged Netanyahu to reject any partial deal, arguing that only overwhelming military pressure will force Hamas to release all captives. Zvika Mor, whose son Eitan is among the hostages, stated, “If Hamas wants a partial deal, that means we have to do exactly the opposite: If Hamas wants a partial deal, that means it takes seriously our intention to capture Gaza City; so it’s exactly what we want to do. Mr. Prime Minister, do not, under any circumstances, go forward with a partial deal, period.”
As Defense Minister Israel Katz approved plans for an operation to capture and hold all of Gaza City—despite opposition from senior military officials worried about the hostages’ safety—the clock is ticking for a decision. Mediators, protesters, and hostage families alike are anxiously awaiting Israel’s next move, knowing that the consequences will reverberate far beyond the region’s borders.
With diplomatic channels buzzing and the Israeli public mobilized, the coming days may well determine whether the cycle of war and hostage-taking can finally be broken—or whether the conflict is set to grind on, with ever-greater costs for all involved.
